Mark Pack

UNISON to be fined for failing to declare election expenditure

By | Fri 3rd December 2010 - 11:45 am

Yesterday the Electoral Commission published information about the campaign spending by UK political parties during the 2010 general election. Buried near the end of the release was this news:

Two third parties – ‘UNISON – The Public Service Union’ and ‘Searchlight Information Services Ltd’ – failed to submit their spending return on time. The Commission has issued Searchlight Information Services with a fine. The Commission will issue UNISON – The Public Service Union with a fine when they submit their return.

The overall figures showed spending down from its heights of 2005, with 43 parties spending just under £32m for 2010 compared with a total of just over £42m for 2005. The total amount of election-related expenditure was significantly higher as these totals exclude sums declared on individual candidate expense returns and also exclude certain exempt categories, including various party staff salaries.*

The Liberal Democrat figure was £4,787,595, up from £4,324,574 in 2005.

* The introduction of these rules for the 2001 election campaign caused one of my favourite exchanges with the Electoral Commission during my time working for the party, which went something like this: ‘Just to check I’ve understood both the law and your guidance correctly – we have a member of staff here whose job title is General Election Planning Manager. However, their salary does not count towards the General Election expense limit, is that right?’ ‘Yes.’

Read more by or more about or .
This entry was posted in Election law and News.
Advert

4 Comments

  • Bryan 3rd Dec '10 - 1:26pm

    Agreed Geoffrey – wonderful voluntary organisations. If only the City had been a quarter as regulated as these bodies.

  • dilke 3rd Dec '10 - 1:45pm

    Whatever the rights and wrongs, it is worth knowing – I will be sending a donation to Searchlight. Bryan any city firm acting as a third party in the GE would have been equally regulated.

Post a Comment

Lib Dem Voice welcomes comments from everyone but we ask you to be polite, to be on topic and to be who you say you are. You can read our comments policy in full here. Please respect it and all readers of the site.

To have your photo next to your comment please signup your email address with Gravatar.

Your email is never published. Required fields are marked *

*
*
Please complete the name of this site, Liberal Democrat ...?

Advert

Recent Comments

  • Tristan Ward
    What are the Liberal Democrats for? I can't see why this is such a difficult question. "The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and ...
  • Peter Martin
    "That is why I believe the long-term answer is not merely devolution but federalism" The USA is has a Federal System of government. We've all hear...
  • Ellyott
    Reality check: Governments and civil servants have shown them selves to be poor at contracting and managing complex projects leading to huge waste of money. ...
  • expats
    Well, "Shelter" seems to approve of his policy... Shelter, the housing charity, says Andy Burnham’s call for the biggest council housebuilding programme ...
  • David Wright
    Not all British islands are alike legally. A resident of the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man, is not automatically a British Citizen, nor can they vote in ...