Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002
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The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 is an Act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 2002. The purpose of the Act was to exempt the selection of candidates in parliamentary elections from the provisions in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 that outlaw sexual discrimination. The purposes of the Act allow political parties to select candidates based on gender in an effort to increase representation of women in British politics.
The Act applies to elections to:
- the House of Commons;
- the Scottish Parliament;
- the National Assembly for Wales;
- the Northern Ireland Assembly;
- Local Government Elections (including the London Assembly); and
- the European Parliament.
The Act does not apply to selection of candidates for the Mayor of London elections. Only political parties registered under Part 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 are covered by the Act.
The Act is scheduled to run until 2015. A statutory order to cancel the provisions in the Act may be made before this date if a draft has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.
