Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 23 May 2019.

Electoral Commission: Referendums and Elections Spending

Question: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his helpful Answer as usual, but has he seen that the fines imposed on Vote Leave and Darren Grimes by the Electoral Commission have been upheld in the courts? Given that their misdemeanours have resulted in the paralysis of the Government for three years and our moving towards a disastrous no-deal Brexit, surely the Electoral Commission should have more powers to send people to jail and to declare such fraudulent referenda null and void.

Answer: The Electoral Commission’s annual report for 2017-18 shows that it issued £126,625 in fines and penalties. Penalties were imposed in 86 cases, £30,000 being the highest charged to any one party, with a further two of over £10,000. As the noble Lord will know, for more serious criminal offences the Electoral Commission can refer the matter to the police and to the National Crime Agency—which it has done—and if anyone is convicted, then the maximum fine is unlimited. So the potential exists to go above the Electoral Commission’s powers. I do not accept his suggestion that we should rerun the referendum, which resulted in a 1.3 million majority of one side over the other. We should accept it; and I do not accept that it has led to the total paralysis of the Government.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 797 c2080
Session: 2017-19
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Campaigns Elections Expenditure Electoral Commission Powers Referendums Election offences
Link: View this Oral question on hansard.parliament.uk