06 Aug 2009
The Electoral Commission announced today that the Conservative Christian Fellowship, a members’ association, has forfeited a £2,000 impermissible donation.
Under Section 54(1) (as applied by Schedule 7) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA), members associations must not accept a donation from an impermissible donor. Members associations have 30 days to check that a donor is permissible and either accept the donation, or return it if from an impermissible donor.
The £2,000 donation was accepted by the association on 9 December 2008. The donor, Lady Baker, was not registered on a UK electoral register at the time of the donation and therefore the donation was impermissible.
The association has voluntarily forfeited the donation, and therefore legal action by the Commission is not necessary.
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For further information please contact:
Press team on 020 7271 0704
Out of Hours 07789 920414
Email press@electoralcommission.org.uk
Notes to Editors
1. The Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000 established the Electoral Commission as an independent body to regulate political party financing and provided the legal framework under which the Commission operates.
2. If the membership of any organisation ‘consists wholly or mainly of members’ of a political party, that organisation is a members association for the purpose of Schedule 7 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
3. Section 54(2) of PPERA, as applied by Schedule 7, defines permissible donors to members associations as:
• an individual registered on a UK electoral register
• a UK registered political party
• a UK registered company
• a UK registered trade union
• a UK registered building society
• a UK registered limited liability partnership
• a UK registered friendly/building society
• a UK based unincorporated association
These requirements must be satisfied at the time the donation is made and the onus is on the members association to check whether this is the case and return the money if necessary.
4. Under section 58 of PPERA, as applied by Schedule 7, the Electoral Commission has the power to apply to the courts for an order to forfeit a sum equal to any impermissible donation a members association has accepted and not returned within the statutory 30 days.
5. Any amount forfeited is paid into the Consolidated Fund. It is not retained by the Electoral Commission nor returned to the donor
