BBC Trust

The Trust has today published final allocation criteria which will be used by the BBC Executive to decide which political parties (or potentially in the case of mayoral elections individual candidates) will be eligible for a Party Election Broadcast on the BBC ahead of the following elections due to take place on 5 May 2016:

• In Scotland – Scottish Parliament
• In Wales – National Assembly for Wales
• In Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland Assembly
• In England (outside London) – Local Government
• In London – Greater London Authority including Mayor of London

The criteria, written by the BBC Executive, was approved by the Trust following a period of public consultation.

The BBC Executive had proposed changes to the allocation criteria for Northern Ireland so that a registered political party had to stand enough candidates to contest a minimum of one sixth of the seats (18 candidates) in the Assembly across a minimum of three constituencies.

This change was proposed in order to bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK by using the one-sixth threshold required in the other nations.

Subsequent to submissions from political parties, the Electoral Commission and following further consultation, the BBC Executive proposed amending the number of candidates in Northern Ireland from the suggested 18 down to 12 across a minimum of six constituencies. The amended proposal was sent to all relevant parties in Northern Ireland and no further comments were received.

Trustees have approved this on the basis that the original proposal of 18 seats across three constituencies was too steep an increase and would have had too significant an impact on smaller or emerging parties in terms of access to a Party Election Broadcast.

Trustees also approved the proposed change that a Party Election Broadcast may exceptionally be offered to an independent London Mayoral candidate where they can demonstrate evidence of significant past and/or current electoral support in London rather than the previous requirement for ‘substantial’ support.

The outcome of the Trust’s consultation and the final allocation criteria for Party Election Broadcasts can be read here: 

Party Election Broadcasts in 2016