Member Candidate says Nationwide blocked warning on Quick Vote days before AGM ballots issued (Press Release)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Member Candidate says Nationwide blocked warning on Quick Vote days before AGM ballots issued
• Candidate requested permission to tell Members not to use Quick Vote if they wished to support his election
• Request refused despite Board decision to recommend Members vote against him
• Website address and QR code removed from Election Address
• Questions remain under consideration by the Financial Conduct Authority just days before voting begins from 8th June
LONDON, 4 June 2026. James Sherwin-Smith, the first Member Nominated Candidate standing for election to the Board of Nationwide Building Society in over 20 years, has criticised the Society after it refused a request to update his Election Address to explain the implications of the Board-backed “Quick Vote” system.
The dispute comes just four days before voting materials are expected to arrive for
9.1 million Nationwide Members, starting 8th June, ahead of the Society’s Annual General Meeting on 15th July.
Sherwin-Smith says he has repeatedly requested permission to make a small amendment to his Election Address if Nationwide’s Board chose not to suspend the Quick Vote, as per his request when submitting nominations on 30th March. He is the first Member Nominated Candidate to appear on the ballot since the Quick Vote was introduced in 2006.
Last Thursday (28th May), Nationwide disclosed to Mr Sherwin-Smith:
- that the Board would recommend Members vote against his election; and
- that the Society would continue using its Quick Vote mechanism.
Under Nationwide’s voting arrangements, Members using the Quick vote automatically vote in line with the Board’s recommendations, including a vote against Sherwin-Smith’s candidacy. The Quick Vote features prominently at the top of voting forms and was used by 87% of Members last year.
Sherwin-Smith requested permission to update his Election Address so that Members who wished to support his candidacy would understand they should not use Quick Vote.
Nationwide declined the request.
At the same time, the Society removed a website link and QR code from Sherwin-Smith’s Election Address without his permission, preventing Members from accessing additional information about his campaign through the election materials.
Commenting today, James Sherwin-Smith said:
“It is important that Members know that if they wish to support my candidacy they must not use the Quick vote.”
“Nationwide finally disclosed to me on Thursday that the Board has decided not to recommend my candidacy to Members, and to weaponise the ‘Quick vote’ against me.
“At the same time, and for the fifth time in two months, I repeated that if the Board took this path and did not suspend the Quick vote, I wished to make a minor revision to my Election Address (2). I think it’s only fair and reasonable in this circumstance that supporters know my recommendation if they support my candidacy. I submitted an alternative version in advance of the disclosure of the Board’s decision that simply adds 18 words to the end:
“…And AGAINST all other candidates given the use of the Quick vote. DO NOT USE THE QUICK VOTE.”
“The Society has refused to make this change.
“Instead, the Society disclosed to me on Thursday that it has edited my Election Address without my permission, removing a QR code and URLs that link to my website so that Members can learn more about my candidacy. I am yet to see a proof copy of my adulterated address – or the voting form design – and so cannot verify that these are the only changes made by the Society.
“I therefore immediately raised this as a dispute with the FCA, requesting the FCA exercise its legal powers (6) to convene a hearing prior to the circulation of voting forms, as the Society has informed me this may begin as early as June 8th. My dialogue with the FCA is ongoing, however time is simply running out.
“I have acted in good faith throughout, while the Society appears to have deliberately run down the clock to minimise the time available for me to campaign on known terms. I think it is unreasonable that I still do not know how my Member-nominated candidacy will be presented vs Board-appointed candidates who may have known for some time the exact terms on which this election will be fought. It is still possible I will not know this important detail until my own voting form arrives as early as Monday next week. ”
Sherwin-Smith has raised concerns with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regarding the election process, including the continued use of Quick Vote, Nationwide’s refusal to permit amendments to his Election Address following the Board’s decisions, and changes made to candidate election materials.
Commenting further, Sherwin-Smith said:
“I am continuing to engage constructively with the FCA regarding these matters and I am grateful for their consideration of the concerns I have raised.”
“My dispute is straightforward. Nationwide would not allow me to add information explaining the consequences of Quick Vote after the Board’s decision, yet it was prepared to remove information from my Election Address without my agreement.”
“This campaign has never been about personalities. It is about governance, transparency and whether Members of a mutual organisation have a genuine opportunity to elect one of their own to the Board.”
“Ultimately, the decision belongs to Members. But Members can only make a fully informed choice if they are given all the relevant information.”
Sherwin-Smith argues that the election raises wider questions about how member-owned organisations should conduct elections involving genuinely independent candidates and whether default voting mechanisms risk creating structural advantages for incumbent Boards.
Voting is expected to begin as early as 8th June 2026 when the first voting forms are delivered to Members, and closes ahead of Nationwide Building Society’s Annual General Meeting on 15th July 2026.
Notes to editors
- James Sherwin-Smith is the first Member Nominated Candidate standing for election to the Nationwide Building Society Board in over 20 years.
https://james4nationwide.co.uk/rebels-with-a-cause-standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants/ - See a comparison of the two Election Address versions, shared online by the candidate:
https://x.com/26Left/status/2061409699073785946 - Voting opens when voting forms arrive, starting 8th June 2026, and closes ahead of Nationwide Building Society’s AGM on 15 July 2026.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about-us/have-your-say/our-agm/ - On 28th May 2026, Nationwide confirmed that its Board would recommend Members vote against his election and that the Quick Vote mechanism would continue to be used.
https://james4nationwide.co.uk/nationwide-picks-unfair-fight-with-member-board-candidate-press-release/ - Following that decision, Sherwin-Smith requested permission to amend his Election Address to explain the implications of Quick Vote for Members wishing to support his candidacy.
- Nationwide declined that request.
- Nationwide also removed a website link and QR code from Sherwin-Smith’s Election Address, without his permission.
- Sherwin-Smith has raised concerns regarding the election process with the Financial Conduct Authority and continues to correspond with the regulator. On 3 June 2026, Sherwin-Smith wrote to the FCA seeking clarification regarding the regulator’s role under Section 61(9) of the Building Societies Act 1986 and the treatment of changes made to candidate election materials.
https://james4nationwide.co.uk/member-nominated-candidate-calls-on-fca-to-review-election-fairness-ahead-of-2026-agm-voting-form-distribution/ - Nationwide Building Society is the world’s largest building society and has almost 20 million Members following the legal transfer of Virgin Money customers on 2nd April 2026.
https://james4nationwide.co.uk/transfer-of-virgin-money-into-nationwide-approved-millions-become-members-overnight/ - For more information visit:
https://james4nationwide.co.uk
Media enquiries
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