Nationwide rebel fears poll handicap (The Times)
The rebel member of Nationwide campaigning to join the mutual’s board has hit out at Britain’s biggest building society over its handling of the vote.
Ben Martin, Banking Editor
Thursday 28th May 2026
Link: (tbc)
James Sherwin-Smith is hoping to become the first member-nominated candidate to win a board seat in decades, after he made it onto the ballot for election at the mutual’s next annual meeting in mid-July.
Nationwide confirmed in April that Sherwin-Smith had enough nominations from other customers to have his candidacy put to a vote. But the society has yet to say whether it will recommend members to back his attempt to secure a board seat, nor has it clarified how it will run the vote, although it could inform him today.
Sherwin-Smith is worried the delay could put him at a disadvantage because “it shortens the period for scrutiny, debate and member engagement”.
“Every day of uncertainty compresses the timeframe for members to understand the issues and for someone like me to communicate effectively with the membership”
James Sherwin-Smith
“Every day of uncertainty compresses the timeframe for members to understand the issues and for someone like me to communicate effectively with the membership,” he said.
The outcome is likely to be closely watched in the mutuals world. There has not been a Nationwide board candidate nominated by members on the ballot since 2005 and it has been even longer since a customer-backed individual won election as a director.
