Each party had its own selection process. The processes used by Labour and the Conservatives were described by
PoliticsHome as "secretive" and "controversial". In June 2022, former
Channel 4 journalist
Michael Crick launched a
Twitter account called Tomorrow's MPs, documenting the selection process of parties candidates in the runup to the next general election.
Conservative On 5 April 2023,
Home Secretary and
Fareham MP
Suella Braverman defeated
Meon Valley MP
Flick Drummond by a majority of local party members of 77 to 54, to be
preselected for the new seat of
Fareham and Waterlooville. Drummond later won the contest to be selected for
Winchester, a seat far more likely to be gained by the
Liberal Democrats. On 17 April 2023,
Chairman of the Conservative Party Greg Hands announced the first 19 seats that would open selections. The seats were listed by
ConservativeHome as
Bicester and Woodstock,
Calder Valley,
Camborne and Redruth,
Canterbury,
Coventry South,
Earley and Woodley,
Eltham and Chislehurst,
Hazel Grove,
Hove and Portslade,
Isle of Wight East,
Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle,
Milton Keynes South,
Norwich North,
Selby,
South Cambridgeshire,
South West Devon,
Tamworth,
West Bromwich and
West Lancashire. On 29 May, the
Conservative Campaign Headquarters announced the next 24 seats that would open selections:
Altrincham and Sale West,
Bishop Auckland,
Bromsgrove,
Broxbourne,
Chippenham,
Coventry North West,
Eastleigh,
Esher and Walton,
Exeter East and Exmouth,
Halifax,
Hendon,
Henley,
Mid Bedfordshire,
Newport West and Islwyn,
Norwich South,
Reigate,
Rugby,
Scarborough and Whitby,
South Shropshire,
Stevenage,
Stoke-on-Trent Central,
Walsall and Bloxwich,
West Suffolk and
Wolverhampton West. On 2 June 2023,
Bromsgrove Conservatives began their selection process for a candidate. On 12 June,
Boris Johnson resigned as an MP, triggering a by-election. The same day,
Nigel Adams also resigned as an MP. On 19 June,
David Warburton gave up his seat in Parliament. On 11 August, the Conservatives opened selections for 26 seats:
Alyn and Deeside,
Bridlington and The Wolds,
Bristol North West,
Bury South,
Clwyd North,
Colchester,
Crawley,
Croydon East,
Doncaster North,
Dorking and Horley,
Frome and East Somerset,
Glastonbury and Somerton,
Heywood and Middleton North,
Huntingdon,
Leeds East,
Leeds West and Pudsey,
Mid Cheshire,
North West Leicestershire,
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley,
Richmond Park,
Sittingbourne and Sheppey,
Southampton Itchen,
St Albans,
Wakefield and Rothwell,
Waveney Valley and
Wirral West.
Nadine Dorries announced her intentions to resign and officially resigned on 29 August.
Chris Pincher left Parliament on 7 September. On 22 September, nominations opened in 10 seats:
Bath,
Bolton South and Walkden,
Bridgend,
Coventry South,
Lancaster and Wyre,
Norwich North,
Telford,
West Bromwich,
Westmorland and Lonsdale and
Wimbledon. On 30 September 2023,
The Telegraph reported that the Conservatives had only selected 65 candidates out of their target of 100 before the
Conservative Party Conference. On 13 October 2023, nominations opened in 18 seats:
Bristol North East,
Cardiff North,
Cardiff West,
Chester North and Neston,
City of Durham,
Croydon West,
Dwyfor Meirionnydd,
Gower,
Hampstead and Highgate,
Harrow West,
Leicester East,
Mid Cheshire,
Nottingham East,
Oxford West and Abingdon,
Queens Park and Maida Vale,
Wirral West,
Wolverhampton South East and
Wolverhampton West. On 23 November 2023, Nick Rose, who had been the candidate for
Norwich North, resigned. In late 2023, two candidates were removed after
MI5 warned in 2021 that they were potential Chinese spies. In April 2024, the selection process was internally criticised by party members for "purging Brexit-backing candidates". The preferred selection of
One Nation Conservatives by the party leadership over right-wing candidates was reported on. This included the former Deputy Leader of the
UK Independence Party and Conservative MEP
David Campbell Bannerman who was blocked in
South Norfolk. On 28 May 2024, it was reported that the Conservatives had 183 candidates to select. On 28 May 2024, presenter
Iain Dale announced that he would be stepping back from his
LBC radio show to run as a
Conservative candidate in the election, hoping to stand in the seat of
Tunbridge Wells, where he lives. However on 31 May he announced that he had decided not to put his name on the shortlist after comments he had made about Tunbridge Wells, two years earlier, emerged online. In the clip he had said that he didn't like living in the town he was running in. Dale defended himself by stating that "there is a context to it, but nobody's interested in context or nuance in these situations". By 7 June, the Conservatives had filled all seats with candidates in Great Britain except for
Rotherham.
Laila Cunningham was originally selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat, but withdrew shortly before the nominations deadline. As the party did not field a replacement, it is the only seat in
Great Britain aside from the Speaker's seat of
Chorley in which no Conservative candidate was nominated.
Labour In March 2021, the local parties in
East Ham and
West Ham were suspended following allegations of electoral fraud, disbanding the internal selections committee. This was a precursor to contentious selections across
East London, between centrist supporters of
Keir Starmer and
Momentum-backed supporters of former leader
Jeremy Corbyn. The
Labour Party selected many
prospective parliamentary candidates throughout 2022. In July 2022, a trigger ballot was held in
Ilford South to determine whether MP
Sam Tarry should face reselection; Tarry lost the vote by 57.5% to 42.5%. On 10 October 2022 a reselection vote was held, which Tarry lost to local council leader
Jas Athwal by 361 votes to 499. In late 2022, councillor Dominic Beck stood down as Labour PPC for
Rother Valley. By 1 January 2023, a total of 77
Constituency Labour Parties had selected prospective parliamentary candidates. In February 2023, BBC News reported that local Labour parties were being overruled over parliamentary selections by "a clique in London". Nine members of the selection committee in
Bolton North East Parliamentary Labour Party resigned after the national party imposed a shortlist on them. The main contention was over the fact that Leigh Drennan, the chair of North West Labour, was not shortlisted despite being endorsed by Deputy Labour Leader
Angela Rayner. In March 2023, Labour's national executive committee resolved not to endorse
Jeremy Corbyn for
Islington North in the next general election, preventing him from seeking re-election as a Labour candidate. Labour later chose Praful Nargund as their candidate, which was shortly followed by Corbyn announcing his intention to run as an independent in the constituency. On 23 May 2023, eleven members of the
Copeland local Labour Party executive resigned following the decision of the
National Executive Committee of the Labour Party not to longlist local councillor Joseph Ghayouba for selection. Local officials said it showed a "shameless disregard for democracy" by Labour's national ruling body. On 6 June 2023, former
Copeland PPC Gillian Troughton withdrew from the selection in
Whitehaven and Workington, describing the selection process as "frustrating and ultimately disenfranchising". On 26 May 2023, the
Wirral West Constituency Labour Party was suspended by the national party, following complaints. This was the same week that the local MP
Margaret Greenwood announced that she was standing down at the next general election. As
Wirral South was abolished, incumbent MP
Alison McGovern challenged neighbouring MP
Mick Whitley for the nomination in
Birkenhead. Whitley was deselected on 16 June 2023. On 7 June 2023, MP for
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Gerald Jones defeated MP for
Cynon Valley Beth Winter for his party's selection to become the Labour candidate for the new parliamentary seat of
Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, which will be contested at the 2024 general election. The seat was renamed from Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon in the final recommendations. From 15 to 16 July, 100 Labour PPCs were given a weekend for a crash course in "message discipline, media training and the art of campaigning" in
Stratford-upon-Avon. On 27 July 2023, Labour opened selections for 94 "non-priority" parliamentary seats. On 31 August 2023, Labour suspended the CLP in
Leicester East amid the process of selecting a new candidate to replace
Claudia Webbe. On 5 September 2023, Labour suspended its leadership team in the
Bolton North East constituency following a disagreement over the selection of a
prospective parliamentary candidate. On 8 December 2023, Labour opened selections for 211 'non-battleground' parliamentary seats. In March 2024, Joel Bodmer withdrew from the selection process in
Croydon East alleging abuse. This was following an unauthorised breach of data. By 22 May 2024, LabourList reported that approximately 100 seats did not have Labour candidates announced yet. On 31 May 2024,
Faiza Shaheen was removed as the candidate for
Chingford and Woodford Green. There was media speculation over the future of
Diane Abbott, but she confirmed she would be standing. By 7 June, Labour had filled all seats in Great Britain (except that held by the Speaker) with candidates.
Liberal Democrats President of the Liberal Democrats
Mark Pack lists
prospective parliamentary candidates on his website. In March 2024, Liberal Democrat PPC for
South Shropshire Chris Naylor stood down due to ill health. By 7 June, the Liberal Democrats had filled all seats with candidates in Great Britain except for
Manchester Rusholme and
Chorley.
Scottish National Party SNP MPs are not automatically reselected to stand, the party has a full open reselection process. To be nominated to take part in a selection contest a party member requires either a nomination by their local campaigns committee, or 50 local branch members. On 25 August 2023,
Patrick Grady was not approved as a candidate for the
2024 general election.
Glasgow Central MP
Alison Thewliss ultimately won the selection contest in his seat of
Glasgow North.
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP
Lisa Cameron criticised the "party hierarchy" when she faced a reselection challenge, like many sitting members, per the party rules, claiming she had spoken out about Grady. She claimed she had been ostracised by the party leadership and threatened to resign and call by-election in protest. Cameron was challenged by Grant Costello, a digital manager for the SNP's Westminster group who lives in the constituency. Costello was endorsed by MSPs
Christina McKelvie and
Collette Stevenson. Ultimately, on 12 October 2023, Cameron — a social conservative — left the SNP altogether and defected to the Conservatives, two hours before the two weeks of voting was due to conclude. Grant Costello, who was leading in the voting, won the selection for SNP candidate for the new seat of East Kilbride and Strathaven. Cameron was reportedly not standing for Parliament again. The same day 8 other candidates were also announced.
Argyll and Bute MP
Brendan O'Hara was challenged for reselection by Helensburgh councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess. In
Glasgow East,
David Linden won a selection contest against neighbouring MP
Alison Thewliss, whose constituency was split into seven. In
Falkirk, two SNP councillors Gary Bouse and Paul Garner launched their campaign to succeed
John McNally. Toni Giugliano was cleared of breaking selection rules. On the eve of the
2023 Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election Mhairi Black reportedly threatened to quit the SNP. This was over her wishes to be succeeded as SNP
candidate for
Paisley and Renfrewshire South by her senior adviser Robert Innes. Jacqueline Cameron, the depute leader of
Renfrewshire Council stood against him. On 26 October 2023, Cameron was declared selected by 60%. By April 2024, candidates had been selected for all 57 new constituencies.
Green Party of England and Wales The
Green Party of England and Wales confirmed in January 2024 that it aims to field candidates in all 575 constituencies in England and Wales. The
Green Party of England and Wales nominated a candidate in 574 of the 575 constituencies in England and Wales, including
Chorley where the
Speaker is standing to defend his seat without opposition from the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems, or Reform. The only constituency in England and Wales where the Greens are not standing a candidate of their own is
Heywood and North Middleton, where they endorsed independent candidate Chris Furlong.
Scottish Greens The
Scottish Greens stood a record number of candidates, a candidate in 44 of 57 constituencies in Scotland.
Green Party Northern Ireland The
Green Party Northern Ireland also stood in a record number of seats in Northern Ireland, a candidate in 11 of 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland.
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru Leader
Rhun ap Iorwerth was named as the candidate for
Ynys Môn. In October 2023 he was replaced as candidate by Llinos Medi.
Reform UK For the 2019 general election, the Brexit Party (the former name of
Reform UK) did not stand candidates in seats where the Conservative party won in 2017. Leader
Richard Tice ruled out a similar arrangement for this election, and stated his party's intention to stand in 630 seats. The party pulled some of its prospective candidates for controversial social media comments. However, it also gave its support to other parliamentary candidates that are standing for the party that have spread conspiracy theories. After media speculation on the question, honorary president and former leader
Nigel Farage declared he would not be standing as a candidate. Farage later announced on 3 June that, contrary to his statement earlier in the campaign, he would stand for Parliament in
Clacton, and that he had resumed leadership of Reform UK. He also said that Labour would win the election. Since January 2024, it was reported that Reform UK had pulled over 100 candidates. Just before the deadline they were 80 candidates short of the total they intended to reach.
Workers Party of Britain During his victory speech following the
2024 Rochdale by-election,
George Galloway claimed his
Workers Party had 59 candidates ready to contest a general election. Later, in a tweet from 2 March Galloway confirmed that this total increased to 79. As of June the party listed over 250 candidates, and also supporting a number of independent candidates, most notably
Jeremy Corbyn in
Islington North,
Faiza Shaheen in
Chingford and Woodford Green, and
Andrew Feinstein in
Holborn and St Pancras.
Sinn Fein Sinn Féin did not contest four constituencies;
Belfast East,
Belfast South and Mid Down,
Lagan Valley and
North Down.
Democratic Unionist Party The
Democratic Unionist Party did not contest
Fermanagh and South Tyrone, instead endorsing
Ulster Unionist Party candidate Diana Armstrong. The DUP stood aside in North Down in order to support the bid of independent unionist candidate Alex Easton, who had stood unsuccessfully for the DUP for the seat in 2017 and 2019.
Ulster Unionist Party The
Ulster Unionist Party stood candidates, denied any electoral pacts and explained their lack of a candidate in Belfast North as being down to a lack of party infrastructure on the ground in the constituency.
Other parties Gina Miller's
True and Fair party planned to contest a small number of constituencies. The
British Democrats confirmed three parliamentary candidates in the
2024 general election. The
Christian Peoples Alliance stated they aimed to stand in 100 seats. After the close of nominations they had 22 candidates. The
English Democrats,
Heritage Party,
Climate Party,
Transform,
TUSC,
Liberal Party,
UK Independence Party, the
Animal Welfare Party,
Official Monster Raving Loony Party and the
Communist Party of Britain ran candidates. The
Wessex Regionalists announced they would not stand candidates, citing the strong likelihood of a Labour victory leaving little interest in alternative parties.
Independents Jeremy Corbyn stood as an independent in
Islington North. Other sitting MPs who stood as independents (rather than within the party they represented at the 2019 General Election) included
Andrew Bridgen,
Angus MacNeil, and
Claudia Webbe. On 5 June, former Labour candidate
Faiza Shaheen, who had been deselected in
Chingford and Woodford Green due to her social media history which the party alleged displayed a history of downplaying antisemitism, announced her independent candidacy. == Candidates by constituency ==