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The London County Court has yesterday (28 June) issued a judgment rejecting the Labour Party’s appeal against the Electoral Commission’s sanction for making late payments in relation to the 2014 European Parliamentary Election, agreeing that the Electoral Commission’s approach was correct.

Bob Posner, Director of Party and Election Finance & Legal Counsel at the Electoral Commission said:

“We welcome the judgement of the Court in this matter and its support for the approach we take in enforcing such cases against political parties where they breach electoral law. It’s important that electoral law is properly followed so that voters can have confidence in it and this judgement will help us continue to achieve this.”

Background

On 15 December 2015, the Electoral Commission announced that it had fined the Labour Party £1848 for making late payments in relation to the 2014 European Parliamentary Election. Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, registered parties are required to obtain all invoices for their campaign expenditure during elections within 30 days after the date of the election. They are required to pay all of these claims within 60 days of the date of the election.

The Labour Party paid a total of 13 invoices late. The total value of these was approximately £48,000, which is 5% of the total value of expenditure reported by the party at the election. In its investigation the Commission found no evidence to suggest that the non-compliance was deliberate or that the party gained financially or otherwise from the late payments. However, when taking into account the resources and experience of the party, the Commission considered this an unacceptable failure to comply with the rules. The level of the fine reflects this.

For further information contact Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704 orpress@electoralcommission.org.uk Out of office hours 07789 920 414

Notes to editors

• The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections and are responsible for the conduct and regulation of referendums held under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (2000).