The Central Executive Council at its meeting held on Tuesday 9 December 2025 agreed that an election for General Secretary and Treasurer will be held in 2026, pursuant to rule 15 of the GMB rulebook. The CEC has agreed the election timetable and the election by-laws, and appointed Civica Election Services as the independent scrutineers for the election.
The CEC also appointed myself as National Returning Officer for the election and I now write to advise that any member of GMB wishing to seek branch nominations in order to be a candidate in the election for General Secretary and Treasurer must declare their intention to seek nominations and must do so by Friday 19 December 2025 at the latest, in accordance with by-law 3:
3. Potential nominees, must declare their intention to seek nominations. In the case of Regional Secretaries or National Officials by contacting the President or the National Returning Officer, and in the case of any other member by contacting their Regional Secretary, in each case by Friday 19 December 2025. All potential nominees will be referred to the National Returning Officer who will supply each person, by email, with a pack containing a personal details form, the election by-laws and instructions on providing a current head and shoulders photo, a personal statement of up to 1,000 words, and contact details.
Each potential nominee who declares their intention to seek nominations by 19 December 2025 in accordance with by-law 3 will be sent a potential nominees pack. The deadline for return of these documents and information is Thursday 8 January 2026 in accordance with by-laws 5 and 6:
5. The potential nominee shall accurately supply all the personal details requested. The completed form must reach the National Returning Officer by Thursday 8 January 2026, failing which the potential nominee shall be disqualified from standing in the election. The form should be returned by email.
6. By Thursday 8 January 2026, the potential nominee shall also provide the National Returning Officer with a head and shoulders photo, personal statement and contact details for Branches to contact potential nominees direct to seek further information and for receipt of invitations to hustings under by-law 22.
In the event of failure to provide any information in accordance with this by-law 6 within the time specified, though this shall not disqualify a potential nominee, all subsequent communications from the National Returning Officer to the potential nominee shall be deemed to have been received within one day of being sent. If the potential nominee fails to provide contact details for receipt of invitations to hustings within the time specified, that shall relieve the duty imposed by by-law 22 to invite the potential nominee (if confirmed as a candidate) to any hustings.
The full timetable and by-laws for the election are available via the links at the bottom of this page.
A special meeting of the CEC Finance & General Purposes Committee is scheduled for Thursday 15 January 2026, to determine that each potential nominee has complied with the rulebook and the election by-laws, and deemed by the F&GPC, in accordance with rule 15.3, as able to fulfil the range of duties set out in the General Secretary & Treasurer list of job competencies appended to the by-laws.
Nomination packs to formally submit nominations will reach branches no later than Wednesday 11 February 2026. I will ensure each Branch has a nomination pack, by email to Branch Secretary activist accounts, a branch nomination form and information on all potential nominees who have complied with the rulebook and by-laws 3, 5 and 6.
Yours sincerely,
GAVIN SIBTHORPE
NATIONAL RETURNING OFFICER
