Overview

This bill amends the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 to exclude from their scope the selection of candidates by political parties. Specifically, it allows parties to implement measures aimed at increasing the representation of ethnic minorities among their elected candidates without fear of legal challenge under the existing anti-discrimination laws.

Description

The Race Relations (Election Candidates) Bill aims to permit registered political parties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to adopt candidate selection arrangements designed to improve the representation of ethnic minority groups. The bill achieves this by inserting a new clause (34A) into both the Race Relations Act 1976 (for Great Britain) and the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (for Northern Ireland). This new clause states that nothing in Parts 2 to 4 of these Acts shall be construed as affecting such arrangements, or render them unlawful, as long as they are adopted to reduce inequalities in the numbers of people from different ethnic groups elected as candidates.

Specifics:

• The bill applies to parliamentary elections, European Parliament elections, Scottish Parliament elections, National Assembly for Wales elections, and local government elections (excluding the Mayor of London).
• In Northern Ireland, the bill covers parliamentary elections, European Parliament elections, Northern Ireland Assembly elections, and district council elections.
• The bill explicitly defines a "registered political party" as one registered under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
• The bill has a sunset clause: it will expire at the end of 2023 unless renewed by order of the Secretary of State.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to significantly impact government spending. The primary cost would likely be associated with any potential legal challenges, which is difficult to quantify, and the administrative cost of processing any amendments required by the act

Groups Affected

This bill will primarily affect:

• Registered Political Parties: Allows them greater flexibility in selecting candidates without fear of legal action under existing race relations legislation.
• Ethnic Minority Groups: Potentially benefits these groups by increasing their representation in elected bodies.
• Candidates for Public Office: May affect the selection process and outcome, depending on the actions of political parties.

Powered by nyModel