20 Nov 2012
Nine political parties registered in Great Britain reported accepting a total of just over £7 million in donations between 1 July and 30 September 2012, according to new figures published by the Electoral Commission, the independent party funding watchdog.
Political parties accepted £878,772 less in donations during the third quarter of this year compared with the second quarter of 2012.
The three political parties to accept the most in donations in this period were:
- Conservative and Unionist Party - £2,613,496.
- Labour Party - £3,011,858.
- Liberal Democrats - £578,087
In addition to these donations, during the third quarter of 2012, six parties accepted funding totalling £3,091,242 from public funds.
The total amount of outstanding loans to political parties as at 30 September 2012 was £14,285,276.
An analysis of donations reported in the third quarter of 2012, including top donors is available here: Summary of Quarter 3 donations and loans (PDF)
Full details of all donations and loans are available on our registers at:
https://pefonline.electoralcommission.org.uk/search/searchintro.aspx
Ends
For further information contact:
The Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk.
Out of office hours 07789 920414
Notes to Editor
- Putting voters first. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections. We work to support a healthy democracy, where elections and referendums are based on our principles of trust, participation and no undue influence.
- The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) requires GB and NI registered parties to report cash and non-cash donations and borrowing on a quarterly basis to the Electoral Commission. Political parties must report all donations and borrowing over £7,500 to the central party, or over £1,500 to an accounting unit, to the Electoral Commission. This includes aggregates of donations and loans from the same source. Prior to 1 January 2010, these thresholds were £5,000 and £1,000, respectively. As the parties only report donations and loans over these thresholds, the figures do not include all donations and loans to political parties. Donations and loans under these thresholds are recorded in political parties’ annual Statement of Accounts.
- Public funds are donations from the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament and the Electoral Commission. ‘Short’ and ‘Cranborne’ grants are available to parties in opposition in the House of Commons or House of Lords respectively.
- Some donations appear on the register as being from the Electoral Commission. These are Policy Development Grants, which were established by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 for parties represented in the Commons by two or more sitting members. The grants are intended to assist parties in developing the policies that they will present in an election manifesto. The legislation provides the total sum of £2 million annually for this purpose. Policy Development Grants became reportable as donations for the first time in quarter three of 2006 as a result of the Electoral Administration Act 2006.
- The figures reported for donations and borrowing have been rounded to the nearest £. Exact figures are available on our website.
