Closed petition Require general election candidates to live in the area where they are standing

Closed on 21 December 2022

The Government should make it a legal requirement that prospective parliamentary candidates be residents of the constituency where they are standing for election, for at least two years prior to the election.

This should curb the 'parachuting in' of candidates with no connection to their constituencies and make Parliament more representative.

Under the Representation of the People Act 2000, voters must prove they are resident in their constituency in order to be included in the Electoral Register. However, there is no such residency requirement for prospective candidates prior to an election, meaning they too often have little or no understanding of local issues.