News releases

The Electoral Commission has updated its searchable database of donations to, and borrowing by, political parties in the first quarter of 2010. The Commission first published the figures on 4 May, several weeks earlier than usual, so they would be publicly available before the UK Parliamentary general election.

The Commission has now made this information available on its searchable database of donations, together with its analysis of the figures. At the same time, its usual checks on the permissibility for all donations and borrowing for the first quarter (January to March) are now under way.

One party – the Buckingham Campaign for Democracy – submitted its donation report after the 30 April deadline, and this was not included in the 4 May publication. The figures are now included in the Commission’s database, and the Commission has issued the party with a £500 penalty for late submission of its report.

Three political parties also reported individual donations or credit facilities this quarter that they should have reported in previous quarters:

• The Conservative Party reported two credit facilities worth £150,000 to the central party in this quarter that they should have reported in previous quarters.
• The Liberal Democrats reported 73 donations to accounting units of the party late, totalling £222,514.
• The Labour Party reported three donations to accounting units of the party late, totalling £5,500.

Peter Wardle, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: “The Conservative Party reported two large credit facilities late, and we have already met them to discuss this. They have assured us that they have put in place systems to ensure that this doesn’t happen again, and we will continue to monitor this closely.

“The Labour Party and Liberal Democrats have both reported individual donations to party accounting units late.  We understand that there are pressures on the volunteers who often staff parties at a local level, but the Liberal Democrats reported a large number and value of donations to local accounting units in this quarter that should have been reported previously. This is of concern and we have been in contact with the party to establish the reasons for this, and to make sure that they make every effort to ensure their compliance level improves in the future.”

Full details of all donations and borrowing declared in the first quarter of 2010 are now available on our searchable registers at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance/database-of-registers.

An analysis of donations and borrowing in the first quarter of 2010 has now been published, and is available on the Commission website at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance/party-finance-analysis

Quarter one 2010 figures on donations and borrowing were initially published by the Electoral Commission on 4 May 2010. The press release can be accessed at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk

For further information contact:

The Electoral Commission press office on 0207 271 0704
Out of office hours 07789 920414 
Email press@electoralcommission.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. 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.
2. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) requires GB and NI registered parties to report cash and non-cash donations and loans on a quarterly basis to the Electoral Commission.
3. Prior to 1 January 2010 parties had to report any donation or loans above £5,000 made to the central party, or donations or loans exceeding £1,000 made to a local accounting unit. 
4.  Since 1 January 2010 parties must report any donation or loans above £7,500 made to the central party, or donations or loans exceeding £1,500 made to a local accounting unit.
5.  Prior to 1 January 2010 parties could accept donations or enter into borrowing of over £200 only if they are deemed ‘permissible’ under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000 at the time the donation was made or borrowing entered into. 
6. Since 1 January 2010, parties can accept donations or enter into borrowing of over £500 only if they are deemed ‘permissible’ under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000 at the time the donation was made or borrowing entered into. 
7. From 1 November 2007, parties on the Northern Ireland register of political parties were required to conform to donation controls and from July 2008 with controls on loans.  As required by the legislation, permissible donations and borrowing reported to us will not be published. 
8. The penalties for failure to submit statutory returns on time can be found at section 147 of PPERA, here: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts2000/ukpga_20000041_en_15#pt10-pb5-l1g147
9. Credit facilities are an agreement where a registered party is entitled to receive a loan of money from time to time from another person (or organisation). The credit facility will generally have an upper limit specified in the credit facility agreement. Examples of common credit facilities include overdrafts and credit cards. The amount displayed is the maximum that can be borrowed and not the amount that is drawn upon at any one time.