Parties announce candidates for European elections

European elections are expected next month

Unless the Brexit impasse has been resolved voters will go to the polls on Thursday, May 23 to vote for MEPs.

Unlike parliamentary elections, where constituents elect a single MP to represent them through the First Past the Post system, European elections are run through a proportional representation system, with parties winning a proportion of the available seats, which they fill through a list of candidates they submit before the vote.

The candidates are ranked in preference order, so a party winning three seats will select the three candidates at the top of its list.

MEPs represent regions (i.e. the East of England for Peterborough) rather than smaller constituencies.

There are seven seats which are up for grabs, so parties will select up to seven candidates on their lists.

Currently in our region UKIP and the Conservatives both have three MEPs, while Labour has one.

So far the following parties have announced their candidates (in the order they will be selected from the party list):

ConservativesGeoffrey Van Orden CBEJohn FlackJoe RichThomas McLarenJoel CharlesWassim MughalThomas Smith

Liberal DemocratsBarbara GibsonLucy Nethsingha Fionna Tod Stephen Robinson Sandy WalkingtonMarie Goldman Julia Ewart

UKIP (full list to be revealed in due course)Stuart AgnewPaul Oakley Liz Jones William Ashpole Alan Graves Jnr John Wallace John Whitby

LabourAlex MayerChris VinceSharon TaylorAlvin ShumAnna SmithAdam ScottJaveria Hussain

GreenCatherine RowettRupert ReadMartin SchmiererFiona RadicPaul JeaterPallavi DevulapalliJeremy Caddick.

The Independent Group announces its candidates today (Tuesday).

Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party has unveiled a handful of candidates but has not yet specified which regions they will be standing in.

Other than the existing MEPs seeking re-election, recognisable candidates so far include Fiona Radic, who stood for the Green Party at the 2017 General Election in Peterborough, and

Lucy Nethsingha, chair of the scrutiny committee at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority - the county’s mayoral authority.

Voting takes place on the Thursday with results then verified that night before being counted on the Sunday in line with the rest of the country. The process in Peterborough will take place at the Town Hall.

Peterborough City Council said its elections team has begun planning for the elections, with poll cards being ordered, polling stations being booked and staff needed to man the polling stations and verify and count the votes being contacted.