Candidates 2010 - Last Call

After the first candidate ratification votes (you can expect news about that, the manifesto, and other votes, very soon!) we are moving on with all speed to bring forward the next tranche of potential candidates for review and endorsement by the party.

This has to happen soon, and because of the timescales we face till the next general election, this will almost certainly be the final call for general election candidates to present themselves.

How to apply

I have emailed directly to all those who have been in contact with me so far, and have expressed a firm interest in standing. In most cases, potential candidates think twice about whether to stand, and what it would mean to them for time commitments during the campaign, and also for their personal circumstances to stand as a prospective parliamentary candidate for the Pirate Party. This is healthy; although I do hope that at least some of those who have been considering standing aren't too daunted and do put themselves forward.

To be considered, you need to post a candidacy proposal, describing yourself, where you wish to stand, and why that would be a good seat for us to fight, and to select you to represent the Pirate Party. If you've already been active in the party, attending meetings, and inquiring into what would be involved in standing for us, this can only help your application. You can see examples of proposals already made, here and here. These have been made in the relevant regional forum, as I've been inviting them to be posted there because in the first instance it's relevant to see what members in the region, in particular, make of the proposed candidacy.

Deadline for application

You must post your candidacy proposal by Saturday 20th March to be considered, and you must also have joined the party.

We anticipate that the final round of candidate ratification will open for member voting on Monday 22nd March.

Who will be funded

If everyone who has shown a definite interest to me in standing for Parliament puts themselves forward, we could have more candidates endorsed than we presently have funding to put up. This will be good, if so, because it may be that we can secure funding in time, and it would mean we already have endorsed candidates standing ready.

However, unlike the first round, this may mean we have to make a decision about which of the candidates we actually fund, if we do hit that limit, and we will need to figure out how to make that cut. I'm open to suggestions on how we do that, I can see possible ways to do it, with both advantages and disadvantages. I'm aware, for example, from the potential candidates who have been discussing the possibility of standing with me, that there could be particular reasons to want to fight a given seat, or put up a particular candidate.

This will perhaps be clearer by Saturday, when we'll know who has put themselves forward, and also the endorsement vote may be one way for the membership to send a message about which potential candidates are preferred; I'd suggest that discussion and commentary about that during the vote would also be very helpful, once we know how many candidates have put themselves forward, who they are, and where they wish to stand.

Local elections

Finally, I'd like to re-state that we are also keen for as many people to stand in the local elections as possible, and if you are a Pirate member in good standing, you wish to stand in your local council elections on May 6th, and there isn't any contention between you and another Pirate in the same local area, then we will endorse you as a PPUK local candidate.

You will need to take the initiative in organising that, and making the arrangements with your local electoral office; we will provide endorsement of your candidacy, and support you as far as we can; local campaigning if you undertake it will be very much in your hands however.