BBC Trust

The Trust is today beginning a period of consultation on the current allocation criteria for the BBC’s regular Party Political Broadcasts and Party Election Broadcasts for elections taking place across the UK on 5 May 2016.

Party Political Broadcasts

The BBC is required to broadcast Party Political Broadcasts on some or all of its channels at various points throughout the year.

The allocation criteria for these broadcasts is drafted by the BBC Executive and is brought to the Trust to approve. The last set of allocation criteria were approved in 2012 but after this year's General Election the political landscape had changed significantly enough make the Executive propose changes.

Amongst the proposed changes to the current criteria is the requirement for a registered political party to only be eligible for a broadcast if they hold two seats (or more) to drop down to one seat in the relevant parliament or assembly in that nation. The criteria also proposes that the European Parliament be added to the list of relevant parliaments and assemblies.

Parties will also need to demonstrate substantial levels of past as well as current electoral support in order to be considered for a Party Political Broadcast.

The consultation on the allocation criteria for Party Political Broadcasts runs until the 19 November.

Party Election Broadcasts

On 5 May 2016 the following elections are taking place:

-       In Scotland – Scottish Parliament

-       In Wales – National Assembly for Wales

-       In Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland Assembly

-       In England (outside London) – Local Government

-       In London – Greater London Authority including Mayor of London

As part of these elections, the BBC will show Party Election Broadcasts from those political parties (or potentially in the case of mayoral elections individual candidates) who are eligible according to the BBC’s allocation criteria, approved by the Trust.

The BBC Executive proposes to change the Party Election Broadcast allocation criteria for Northern Ireland so that a registered political party must stand enough candidates to contest a minimum of one sixth of the seats (18 candidates) in the Assembly across a minimum of three constituencies.

The proposed change to the criteria for Northern Ireland is to bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK by using the one-sixth threshold required in the other nations.

Also included in the proposed changes is that a Party Election Broadcast may exceptionally be offered to an independent London Mayoral candidate where they can demonstrate evidence of significant past and/or current electoral support in London.

The consultation on the allocation criteria for Party Election Broadcasts runs until 7 January 2016.

Next steps

Following the close of the consultations the Trust will take account of written submissions and will look to publish the results of this consultation on the Trust website, together with the final allocation criteria for both Party Political and Party Election Broadcasts in December and February respectively.