Financial accounts published for Northern Ireland’s larger political parties
Summary
Financial accounts of political parties in Northern Ireland with income or expenditure of more than £250,000 have been published today by the Electoral Commission. The accounts are for the year ending 31 December 2019.
Cahir Hughes, Head of the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland, said:
“All political parties must keep financial records and submit annual statements of accounts to us. Publishing this data helps voters see political parties’ income and what they’re spending. This is an important part of delivering transparency in political finance in Northern Ireland, and in enhancing public confidence and trust in our democratic processes.”
Party income and expenditure
Four parties in Northern Ireland reported having an income or expenditure of more than £250,000. In total, these parties reported £3,710,000 of income and £2,752,000 of expenditure. This compares with four parties in 2018 reporting £1,774,000 of income and £1,974,000 of expenditure.
| Party | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland | £388,644 | £382,221 |
| Democratic Unionist Party D.U.P. | £499,957 | £487,905 |
| Sinn Féin | £2,495,054 | £1,536,119 |
| Ulster Unionist Party | £325,900 | £345,637 |
The full financial accounts for each of the four political parties are available on the Commission’s website, alongside the financial accounts for 16 political parties and 17 accounting units in Great Britain with income and expenditure of more than £250,000.
Details of parties and accounting units with income and expenditure under £250,000 were published last month.
Comparisons with totals in previous years
Below are the total sums of the financial accounts for political parties above the £250,000 threshold in the two previous financial years:
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | £2,337,084 | £1,773,597 | £3,709,555 |
| Expenditure | £2,506,573 | £1,974,373 | £2,751,881 |
Accounting units
No accounting units reported an income or expenditure over £250,000.
Ends
For further information please contact the press office on 028 9089 4029 or email press@electoralcommission.org.uk. For enquiries outside office hours call 07789 920414.
Notes to editors
Notes to editors:
The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:
- enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
- regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
- using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency
The Commission was set up in 2000 and reports to the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
Financial accounts of political parties and their accounting units in Great Britain, with income and expenditure of more than £250,000, have been published today. The press release has also been published today.
Political parties with income or expenditure of more than £250,000 are required by law to independently audit their accounts and include this report in their submission. The fact that a Statement of Accounts has been placed on the Commission’s website should not be taken to indicate that the Electoral Commission has verified or validated it.
Figures for income and expenditure have been rounded. Please see our online database for exact amounts.
Details of how failures to submit Statement of Accounts by the deadline have been dealt with in the past can be found in our publication of closed cases.