Latest financial accounts published for larger political parties
23 Aug 2018 12:27 PM
Financial accounts of political parties and their accounting units in Great Britain, with income or expenditure of more than £250,000, have been published today by the Electoral Commission. The accounts are for the year ending 31 December 2017.
Central party income and expenditure
Ten parties in Great Britain reported having gross income or total expenditure in 2017 of more than £250,000. In total, these parties reported £125,322,000 income and £122,194,000 expenditure. This compares to 12 parties in 2016.
|
Party
|
Income
|
Expenditure
|
|
Labour Party
|
£55,793,000
|
£54,342,000
|
|
Conservative and Unionist Party
|
£45,947,000
|
£44,867,000
|
|
Liberal Democrats
|
£9,710,000
|
£10,454,000
|
|
Scottish National Party (SNP)
|
£5,800,000
|
£5,098,000
|
|
Green Party
|
£2,472,000
|
£2,284,000
|
|
UK Independence Party (UKIP)
|
£1,739,000
|
£1,939,000
|
|
Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
|
£1,262,000
|
£757,000
|
|
Co-operative Party
|
£1,202,000
|
£1,146,000
|
|
Women's Equality Party
|
£994,000
|
£931,000
|
|
Scottish Green Party
|
£403,000
|
£376,000
|
Accounting unit income and expenditure
Political parties may also register ‘accounting units’ with the Electoral Commission. These are constituent or affiliated units of a political party, including constituency parties, which operate separate finances from the main party.
Eight accounting units reported income or expenditure of more than £250,000. In total these accounting units reported £8,430,000 income and £7,978,000 expenditure.
|
Party
|
Accounting unit
|
Income
|
Expenditure
|
|
Liberal Democrats
|
England
|
£3,168,000
|
£3,005,000
|
|
Scottish National Party (SNP)
|
Westminster Group
|
£1,567,000
|
£1,627,000
|
|
Liberal Democrats
|
Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats
|
£1,032,000
|
£1,108,000
|
|
Labour Party
|
Scottish Labour Party
|
£739,000
|
£715,000
|
|
Liberal Democrats
|
Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors (ALDC)
|
£612,000
|
£582,000
|
|
Conservative and Unionist Party
|
Cities of London and Westminster
|
£448,000
|
£422,000
|
|
Conservative and Unionist Party
|
Bexleyheath and Crayford
|
£439,000
|
£59,000
|
|
Liberal Democrats
|
Scotland
|
£425,000
|
£460,000
|
Comparisons with previous years
The Statement of Accounts figures published today are set out against those from the previous two years in the tables below. Details of party accounts from 2002 can be found on our website.
Political parties (GB)
| |
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
|
Income
|
£117,955,000
|
£101,250,000
|
£125,332,000
|
|
Expenditure
|
£115,281,000
|
£94,251,000
|
£122,194,000
|
Accounting units (GB)
| |
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
|
Income
|
£8,922,000
|
£8,394,000
|
£8,430,000
|
|
Expenditure
|
£7,905,000
|
£7,984,000
|
£7,978,000
|
The deadline for parties and accounting units with income or expenditure of more than £250,000 to submit audited accounts to the Electoral Commission was 7 July 2018. All parties and accounting units submitted accounts by the deadline.
The Commission has also published the financial accounts of parties in Northern Ireland with income or expenditure of more than £250,000.
Full details of the financial accounts published today can be viewed on our website here
Earlier this month the Electoral Commission published the financial accounts of parties and accounting units with income or expenditure of £250,000 or less, for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
For further information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0555 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk
Out of office hours 07789 920 414
Notes to editors:
- The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:
- enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
- regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
- using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency
The Electoral Commission was set up in 2000 and reports directly to the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
- Accounting units with income and expenditure that are either £25,000 or less are not required to submit their accounts.
- The fact that a Statement of Accounts has been placed on the Commission’s website should not be taken to indicate that the Electoral Commission has verified or validated it in any way.
- Central party figures do not include income and expenditure from party Accounting Units.
- Figures for income and expenditure have been rounded to the nearest £1,000. Please see online database for exact amounts.
- Details of how failures to submit Statement of Accounts by the deadline have been dealt with in the past can be found in our publication of Closed Cases.