The law now provides a detailed regulatory framework for future referendums, including controls on campaign groups.
Any campaign group that wants to spend more than £10,000 on a referendum campaign must register with the Electoral Commission as a permitted participant. Controls on donations and spending apply to permitted participants and financial returns must be submitted to the Commission
A total spending limit of £500,000 applies to most permitted participants. However, higher limits apply to registered political parties that obtained more than 5% of the vote at the last general election (up to a maximum of £5 million for parties that obtained 30% of the vote or more) and to designated organisations.
The Commission may designate one permitted participant to represent each outcome of a referendum. If no applicants are considered to be properly representative the Commission does not have to designate campaign organisations. However, if the Commission designates an organisation for one outcome, it must also designate one for the other outcome(s).
Designated organisations will receive equal grants of up to £600,000 from the Commission. These grants are provided to ensure a minimum level of campaign activity on each side. Designated organisations have a spending limit of £5 million and are also provided with free facilities similar to those provided to political parties at elections. These include the delivery of a referendum address to each household in the referendum area, the provision of free broadcasts and the use of public buildings for holding public meetings.
