Financial accounts for smaller political parties in 2021 published
Financial accounts for smaller political parties published
Financial accounts of political parties and accounting units in the United Kingdom, with income and expenditure of £250,000 or less, have been published today by the Electoral Commission. The accounts are for the year ending 31 December 2021.
331 political parties in the United Kingdom reported their financial accounts as being within this threshold.
Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation, said:
“All political parties must keep financial records and submit annual statements of accounts to us. Publishing this data helps voters see the money that political parties spend and receive. This is an important part of delivering transparency in political finance in the UK, and in enhancing public confidence and trust in our democratic processes.”
Seventeen parties reported income or expenditure between £50,000 and £250,000:
Party | Income | Expenditure |
---|---|---|
Ashfield Independents | £103,545 | £81,746 |
Britain First | £115,913 | £107,438 |
British National Party | £75,466 | £96,535 |
Communist Party of Britain | £189,563 | £172,368 |
Conservative and Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) | £37,099 | £52,021 |
Freedom Alliance- Integrity, Society, Economy | £50,911 | £48,078 |
Green Party (Northern Ireland) | £80,386 | £60,192 |
Northern Independence Party | £78,529 | £48,224 |
Scottish Family Party | £57,951 | £59,532 |
Scottish Socialist Party | £59,296 | £43,795 |
Socialist Party (Northern Ireland) | £76,346 | £72,042 |
Social Democratic Party | £57,688 | £70,867 |
The For Britain Movement | £140,459 | £123,292 |
Traditional Unionist Voice - TUV | £65,016 | £37,893 |
True & Fair Party | £57,098 | £49,084 |
UK Independence Party (UKIP) | £215,850 | £194,558 |
Upminster and Cranham Residents Association | £64,401 | £76,455 |
The full financial accounts for each of the 331 political parties with income and expenditure of £250,000 or less are available on the Commission’s website.
Accounting unit income and expenditure
Political parties may register 'accounting units’ with the Electoral Commission. These are constituent or affiliated units of a political party, including constituency parties, which have separate finances from the main party.
422 accounting units in the UK reported income and expenditure between £25,000 and £250,000.
In total these accounting units reported £21,438,320 income and £22,183,097 expenditure.
Of these, 12 accounting units reported an income or expenditure over £150,000. A further 33 reported income or expenditure between £100,000 and £150,000.
The ten accounting units that reported the highest income and expenditure below £250,000:
Party | Accounting unit | Income | Expenditure |
---|---|---|---|
Conservative and Unionist Party | Aylesbury | £235,629 | £179,034 |
Conservative and Unionist Party | Derbyshire Dales | £208,509 | £46,423 |
Conservative and Unionist Party | Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham | £189,528 | £202,505 |
Conservative and Unionist Party | Northumberland MCA | £170,760 | £181,757 |
Democratic Unionist Party - D.U.P | Westminster Parliamentary Party - MP Grouping | £191,836 | £141,980 |
Green Party | London | £144,002 | £157,566 |
Labour Party | National Trade Union Liaison | £230,999 | £166,623 |
Liberal Democrats | Hazel Grove | £155,266 | £122,356 |
Liberal Democrats | Twickenham and Richmond | £202,549 | £207,333 |
Liberal Democrats | Westmorland, Furness and Eden | £204,030 | £212,969 |
The financial accounts for all accounting units published today are available on the Commission’s website.
Comparisons with previous years
Below are the total sums of the financial accounts for political parties and their accounting units that fell under the £250,000 threshold in the two previous financial years:
Political parties
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|
Income | £2,478,965 | £1,546,769 | £2,147,273 |
Expenditure | £2,318,549 | £1,358,422 | £2,270,843 |
Accounting units
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|
Income | £21,438,320 | £16,849,475 | £35,893,352 |
Expenditure | £22,183,096 | £15,728,652 | £33,473,161 |
Figures comparing the latest financial accounts for political parties and their accounting units with those for 2019 and 2020 provide a general comparison and do not necessarily compare the same parties and accounting units. The income and expenditure of parties and accounting units vary each year, so they may fall into different reporting thresholds.
Late submissions
12 political parties that were expected to have income or expenditure under £250,000 failed to submit their accounts. Where parties and accounting units have delivered their accounts late we may take appropriate and proportionate action in line with our Enforcement Policy.
Political parties and their accounting units with income or expenditure in 2021 of more than £250,000 were required to submit their audited accounts by 7 July 2022. These will be published in due course.
Ends
For further information please contact the press office on 020 7271 0704 or email [email protected]. For outside office hours call 07789 920414.
Notes to editors
Notes to editors
1. 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, Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
2. Accounting units with income and expenditure that are either £25,000 or less are not required to submit their accounts.
3. 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 in any way.
4. Figures for income and expenditure have been rounded. Please see our online database for exact amounts.
5. Details of how failures to submit a statement of accounts by the deadline have been dealt with in the past can be found in our publication of closed cases.