(1)This section applies where the office of a London member is vacant.
(2)If the London member was returned as an individual candidate, or the vacancy is not filled in accordance with the following provisions, the vacancy shall remain unfilled until the next ordinary election.
(3)If the London member was returned (under Part II of Schedule 2 to this Act or this section) from a registered political party’s list, the Greater London returning officer shall notify the Chair of the Assembly of the name of the person who is to fill the vacancy.
(4)The person who is to fill the vacancy must be one who—
(a)is included in that list;
(b)is willing to serve as a London member; and
(c)is not a person to whom subsection (5) below applies.
(5)This subsection applies to a person if—
(a)he is not a member of the party; and
(b)the party gives notice to the Greater London returning officer that his name is not to be notified under subsection (3) above as the name of the person who is to fill the vacancy.
(6)Where more than one person satisfies the conditions in subsection (4) above, the Greater London returning officer shall notify the name of whichever of them is higher, or highest, in the list.
(7)Where a person’s name has been notified under subsection (3) above, his term of office as a London member—
(a)shall begin on the day on which the notification is received under that subsection, and
(b)shall end at the time when it would have ended had he been returned as a London member at the previous ordinary election,
and this Act shall apply as if the person had been declared to be returned as a London member on the day on which the notification under subsection (3) above is so received.