Tony Bennett

Round One of this exciting contest kicks off with a Directions’ Hearing [preliminary procedural hearing] in the case of Electoral Commission* v. UK Independence Party at 10.00 at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court, next Thursday, 5th April.

Pass round the hat - or perhaps a large bucket

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* Once upon a time, there was a country which ran elections where over 80% of the people voted, where there was no corrupt postal voting, and where small political parties were not faced with onerous administrative and procedural burdens.

In those days, dear children, those elections put people in Parliament who could actually take real decisions on behalf of those who elected them.

And in those days thay got about half the salary they get today and about one-fifth of the amount they get in secretarial and other allowances.

But that was all in the days before the big bad Electoral Commission and the big bad European Commission.

Now are you sitting comfortably...

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NoMoreEUSSR

There was even a time when British pollies earned no salary.

Being a MP in itself was a grand privilege, that one didn't get involved in politics for money. Perish the thought! :roll:

SponPlague

Ok, yes, but they weren't expected to do it full time - one Manchester MP went there once a year, or sent a deputy to read a speech on his behalf... We need to decide whether we want MPs to be full time or not - myself, I think outside experience is good...

Tony Bennett

Unlock Democracy welcomes forfeit of Lib Dem donation

Friday, 30 Mar 2007 16:55

Following news today that the Liberal Democrats have agreed to forfeit a £40,000 donation, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said:

"We welcome the fact that the Electoral Commission is now taking a tougher stance on upholding the rules on party donations, and that the Liberal Democrats have agreed to forfeit this donation without making a fuss.

"No-one is suggesting this was anything other than an administrative error, but in order to renew public confidence in the way parties are funded, it is vital that these regulations are strictly enforced.

"Today's announcement should serve as a warning to all political parties: bending the rules and trying it on will no longer be tolerated. While it was the Liberal Democrats who were caught out on this occasion, the standard of reporting from both Labour and the Conservatives up until now suggests that it could quite easily have been them.

"We call on the UK Independence Party to follow the Liberal Democrats' example and agree to forfeit the donations that the Electoral Commission has declared was similarly impermissible."

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http://www.politics.co.uk/press-releases/party-politics/party-political-funding/unlock-democracy-welcomes-forfeit-lib-dem-donation-$469879.htm

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ryansoton

What about the 2.4 million the Lib Dems secured from a donor who has since been jailed for forgery?

michael mcgough

Wuth the non-permissible donor being a LibDem PPC one can't help but think,however preposterous ,that this is some kind of fix,a 'quid quo pro' ,to enable the LDs to suffer a public punishment whilst hanging on to the other illegal millions fom a company controlled by a jailbird and at the same time legitimising the sting on UKIP.
That the first person 'mouthing off 'about this ,Peter Facey,is closely c to associated with the Electoral Commision does nothing to reassure me.

michael mcgough

some info on Unlock democracy/charter 88/new politics network

"The Network was created in December 1999. It was established following the winding up of Democratic Left. DL was the legal successor organisation to the Communist Party of Great Britain

Unlike its predecessor the Network is politically independent and is committed to working across the political spectrum. To this end the Network has worked with individuals from all the main political parties and is committed to continuing to do so."

Is "politically independen" the same as "independent" ?

devilskitchen

It isn't so much that he's been jailed for forgery, it's that he lives abroad and the British-registered company through which he made the donation was a shell: as far as anyone can tell, it wasn't actually trading... well... anything.

If the company was set up simply to make donations to a political party, this is a clear breach of the EC rules. Otherwise, foreign donors would be able easily to get around the law, the intention of which was to stop foreign money controlling British political parties.

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Unio Europaea delenda est