Representation of the People Act 1981

Representation of the People Act
Dates
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to disqualify certain persons for election to the House of Commons; to make changes in the timetable for parliamentary elections; and for connected purposes.
Citation	1981 c. 34
Territorial extent	United Kingdom
Royal assent	2 July 1981
Status: Amended
Text of the Representation of the People Act 1981 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk

The Representation of the People Act 1981 (c. 34) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It provides:

for the disqualification from membership of the House of Commons of any person who is detained anywhere in the British Islands or the Republic of Ireland (or who is unlawfully at large at any time when he would otherwise be detained) for more than a year for any offence,
that the election or nomination of such persons shall be void, and
that the seat of a Member who becomes so disqualified shall be vacated.

The Act was passed following the election to the Westminster Parliament of a hunger-striker, Bobby Sands, in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, April 1981, while he was serving a long term of imprisonment.

As a result of the Act, following the death of Bobby Sands, other prisoners on hunger strike were unable to stand in the second 1981 by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

References

http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/notes/snpc-03221.pdf

Electoral reform in the United Kingdom

Reform Acts

Parliamentary	England and Wales, 1832 Scotland, 1832 Ireland, 1832 England and Wales, 1867 Scotland, 1868 Ireland, 1868

Municipal	Scotland, 1833 England and Wales, 1835 Ireland, 1840

Representation of
the People Acts

1884
1918
1928
1948
1949
1969
1981
1983
1985
1989
1990
1991
1993
2000

Other related Acts

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