Parties face poll ban over expenses

8 Sep 05
Political parties that do not comply with the Electoral Commission's financial regulations could be barred from campaigning in future elections, Public Finance has learned.

09 September 2005

Political parties that do not comply with the Electoral Commission's financial regulations could be barred from campaigning in future elections, Public Finance has learned.

The commission is considering de-registering parties that fail to submit timely election expense returns, as an alternative to taking them to court.

An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said the system of referring non-compliant parties to the Crown Prosecution Service was 'disproportionate'. It was also difficult for the commission to prove criminal intent.

'We're looking at new penalties. De-registration for parties that fail to comply is something we might look at,' she told PF. 'It would require a change in primary legislation and there would have to be some sort of consultation, led by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.'

The Electoral Administration Bill, which is due for parliamentary consideration, could be used to deliver such a change, she added.

Under current arrangements, parties that spent £250,000 or less on their general election campaign have to submit expense returns within three months. Parties spending more have six months to comply.

Figures released by the Electoral Commission on September 1 showed that, of the smaller parties that contested the election this year, 25 did not submit any return. These included the Communist Party of Great Britain, the Democratic Labour Party and the National Front.

The commission has also called for voter registration to be modernised, after a report published on September 6 revealed that an estimated 3.7 million people in England and Wales are not on the electoral register.

Electoral Commission chair Sam Younger criticised the current system of relying on the 'head of household' to complete a form on behalf of others as outdated and open to abuse.

He said: 'It is vital that a system of individual registration is introduced as soon as possible so that the register used at the next general election is secure, accurate and commands confidence.'

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