Overview

The Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 amended the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and the Representation of the People Act 1983, primarily focusing on strengthening regulations surrounding political donations, electoral registration, and the Electoral Commission's powers.

Description

The Act significantly enhanced the Electoral Commission's powers, granting it increased investigatory abilities and the authority to impose civil sanctions (fixed monetary penalties, discretionary requirements, and stop notices) for breaches of electoral laws. It also reformed the selection process for Electoral Commissioners and established stricter political restrictions on Commission staff. The Act introduced stricter regulations concerning political donations, including increased thresholds for reporting requirements (£7,500 for declarations as to the source of the donation) and tighter restrictions on donations from non-UK residents. It also introduced the concept of "compliance officers" for elected officials, and "responsible persons" for members associations and other groups, to better manage political donations and finances. The Act addressed election expenses, particularly pre-candidacy expenses, establishing limits to prevent excessive spending before an election campaign officially starts. Further, the Act introduced changes to electoral registration, including the possibility of a national online register and making the provision of identifying information (signature, date of birth, national insurance number) voluntary, with a review planned to consider making it mandatory.

Government Spending

The Act likely led to increased government spending due to the establishment of a corporation sole to manage the potential national online electoral register (CORE) and additional resources required for the Electoral Commission’s expanded enforcement powers. Exact figures regarding increased expenditure are unavailable in this summary.

Groups Affected

• Political Parties: Subject to stricter donation regulations, increased reporting requirements, and potential civil penalties for non-compliance.
• Elected Officials: Required to appoint compliance officers to manage donations and potential financial liabilities.
• Members Associations: Required to appoint "responsible persons" to manage their finances and donations.
• Donors: Subject to stricter rules on disclosure, particularly those donating large sums of money or those based outside the UK.
• Electoral Commission: Granted significantly more power and responsibility in overseeing elections and political finance.
• Voters: Potentially affected by changes to electoral registration processes, including the introduction of voluntary identifying information.

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