Party and non-party campaigner spending in Northern Ireland at European Parliamentary elections published
Northern Ireland at European Parliamentary elections published
The Electoral Commission has today published the campaign spending returns of political parties and registered non-party campaigners that campaigned at the 2019 European Parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland.
Nine political parties spent a total of £194,374 on campaigning during the regulated period that ran from 23 January 2019 until polling day, 23 May 2019.
Candidates were also required to submit spending returns to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland. Each candidate had a spending limit of £135,000 at the election. In the interests of transparency we have published both the party and candidate spending at the election.
A non-party campaigner is a group that campaigns in the run up to elections but is not a political party and does not stand candidates. Non-party campaigners must register with the Commission if they plan to spend more than £20,000 in England or £10,000 in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Nine political parties in Northern Ireland reported spending under £250,000:
| Party | Party expenditure | Candidate expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland | £47,144 | £22,310 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | £0 | £0 |
| Democratic Unionist Party - D.U.P. | £26,197 | £22,839 |
| Green Party | £3,243 | £389 |
| Sinn Féin | £68,988 | £65,765 |
| SDLP (Social Democratic & Labour Party) | £13,508 | £50,295 |
| Traditional Unionist Voice - TUV | £13,188 | £12,048 |
| UK Independence Party (UKIP) | £12,906 | £134 |
| Ulster Unionist Party | £9,200 | £34,694 |
Figures for spending by political parties and campaigners in Great Britain are available.
Reported spending by non-party campaigners in Northern Ireland:
| Non-party campaigner name | Expenditure |
|---|---|
| Avaaz Campaigns UK | £2,806 |
| HOPE Not Hate Ltd | £1,620 |
| Leave.EU | £1,671 |
| Open Britain Ltd | £2,233 |
| Right To Vote Ltd | £427 |
| UK-EU Open Policy Ltd (Best For Britain) | £4,270 |
Figures for spending by political parties and campaigners in Great Britain are available.
Notes to editor
For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or [email protected]
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.
Political parties and registered non-party campaigners that spent £250,000 or under at the European Parliamentary elections were required to submit their returns by 23 August 2019.
Non-party campaigners must register with the Commission before they can spend more than £20,000 on campaigning in England, or £10,000 in any of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. They are then required to submit spending returns if they did campaign and spend over these sums of money at the European Parliamentary elections.
Figures in this press release are rounded to the nearest £.
Full breakdown of party expenditure is available.
Full breakdown of non-party campaigner expenditure is available.