Explanatory note

to extend the hours of polling at Greater London Authority elections from between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.;

reflecting section 22 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, to prohibit candidates at a Greater London Authority election from including in their nomination papers (and on the ballot papers at the election) a description, other than “Independent”, unless they are standing for election in the name of a party registered under Part II of that Act at the time by which the notice of election is required to be published; and

reflecting an amendment to section 82 (declarations as to election expenses) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, made by paragraph 8 of Schedule 18 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, to remove from the prescribed forms of declarations as to election expenses (Forms 17 and 18 in Schedule 5 to the principal Rules, which were added by the Greater London Authority Elections (No. 2) (Amendment) Rules 2000), references to making the declaration before a Justice of the Peace or other specified person. Forms 17 and 18 are substituted, with the consequential revocation of those forms as set out in rule 2(4) of the Greater London Authority Elections (No. 2) (Amendment) Rules 2000.