20 Aug 2009
The Electoral Commission announced today that the Liberal Democrats’ Twickenham & Richmond accounting unit has forfeited four impermissible donations totalling £1,328.20.
Under Section 54(1) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA), registered political parties must not accept a donation from an impermissible donor. Political parties and their accounting units have 30 days to check that a donor is permissible and either accept the donation, or return it if from an impermissible donor.
Four donations of £332.05 were received by Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats on 31 December 2008, 31 January 2009, 28 February 2009 and 31 March 2009 respectively. The donor, Jonathan Kramer, was not registered on a UK electoral register at the time of the donations and therefore the donations were impermissible.
The Twickenham and Richmond Liberal Democrats have 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. Section 54(2) of PPERA defines permissible donors to registered political parties 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 party to check whether this is the case and return the money if necessary.
3. Under section 58 of PPERA, the Electoral Commission has the power to apply to the courts for an order to forfeit a sum equal to any impermissible donation a party has accepted and not returned within the statutory 30 days.
4. Any amount forfeited is paid into the Consolidated Fund. It is not retained by the Electoral Commission nor returned to the donor
