🗳️ Petition Calling for a Referendum on the Appointment of Impartial Returning Officers & Deputy Returning Officres in LMSU Election for 2026 and Future Votes

We, the full members of LMSU and Undersigned students of London Metropolitan University, call on the Transitional Board ,LMSU Board of Trustess &  and relevant governing bodies arrange a student referendum to approve the recruitment of impartial Returning and Deputy Returning Officers for the upcoming 2026/27 election & all future London Metropolitan University Students’ Union (LMSU) elections are conducted in a fair, transparent, and unbiased manner.

Why this is important:

Serious concerns have been raised about the fairness and independence of the LMSU 2025 elections, particularly due to close prior professional relationships between the Returning Officer ,Peter Robertson from NUS and the Deputy Returning Officer , Bethan Dudas who was also the LMSU CEO at the time, creating a clear perception of conflict of interest given the CEO’s senior influence. 

Students alleged that the former CEO had an interest in the election outcome, opposing some candidates while supporting others with whom she had previously worked, and multiple complaints were raised during and after the elections. Despite this, the Returning Officer declared the elections fair and unbiased, which for many students lacked credibility and further eroded trust.Furthermore, ongoing concerns are heightened by the fact that the current CEO (on maternity cover), Ben Whittaker or Steve Wise  who has professional relationships with the Returning Officer and other senior staff, is expected to act as Deputy Returning Officer in upcoming elections, despite having a direct institutional interest in their outcomes. Taken together, these circumstances have severely undermined confidence in LMSU’s democratic processes and demonstrate the urgent need for genuinely independent Returning and Deputy Returning Officers with no conflicts of interest.

Combined with concerns about overlapping relationships within LMSU senior leadership, these issues have led to significant loss of confidence in student democracy and highlight the urgent need for fully independent and impartial Returning and Deputy Returning Officers in future LMSU elections.

A Students’ Union election must not only be fair, but must also be seen to be fair. When election officials have existing relationships with senior management, candidates, or internal stakeholders, student trust in democratic outcomes is weakened.

We therefore petition for the following:

1.The appointment of fully independent Returning Officers and Deputy Returning Officers with no prior professional, personal, or managerial ties to LMSU senior staff, officers, or candidates

2.Clear and publicly available conflict-of-interest declarations for all individuals involved in the election process.

3.Oversight by an external and impartial body to guarantee neutrality

4.Transparent procedures that ensure equal treatment of all candidates and student groups

We believe that student democracy is fundamental to a healthy Students’ Union. Independent election officials are essential to protecting fairness, integrity, and confidence in LMSU elections.

By signing this petition, we stand for accountability, transparency, and unbiased student representation.

Petition Details:

Requires support from at least 2% of full members (from 8237 members).=165 votes .
The petition will remain open until the required votes in favor are reached.

✅ Let’s ensure free, fair, and transparent elections!

Thank you for your support and for helping restore trust in the LMSU election process.❤️