Representation of the People Act 1981

Representation of the People Act
	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to disqualify certain persons for election to the House of Commons; to make changes in the timetable for parliamentary elections; and for connected purposes.
Citation	1981 c. 34
Territorial extent	United Kingdom
Dates
Royal assent	2 July 1981
Status: Current legislation
Text of the Representation of the People Act 1981 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Representation of the People Act 1981 (c. 34) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It creates the provision for the automatic disqualification of an MP if they are imprisoned for over a year, leading to a by-election being held in their constituency.

The text of the Act states that it provides:

for the disqualification from membership of the House of Commons of any person who is detained anywhere in the British Islands or the Republic of Ireland (or who is unlawfully at large at any time when he would otherwise be detained) for more than a year for any offence,
that the election or nomination of such persons shall be void, and
that the seat of a Member who becomes so disqualified shall be vacated.

Following the passage of the Recall of MPs Act 2015, sitting MPs imprisoned on shorter sentences can be removed from their seats via recall petitions.