Submission on Electoral Regulation

In August 2020, the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition submitted to the Committee for Standards in Public Life’s Review of Electoral Regulation,

We emphasise the importance of the Electoral Commission as an independent, non-partisan body with responsibility for oversight of elections and regulation of election finance and the dangers of politicising regulators. However, we have significant concerns about ongoing weaknesses in our electoral regulations.

In light of these concerns, we recommend that:

• There should be tighter rules around who can donate, how much can be donated, and how donations are reported and spent to protect the UK from real or perceived foreign interference, cash for access scandals and to facilitation a wider donation base for political parties.

• There should be more accountability for online activity to ensure that the UK’s electoral regulations keep pace with the evolving nature of campaigning.

• Weaknesses in our enforcement regime should be addressed to better support the existing framework for electoral regulation and ensure the success of changes suggested in the previous recommendations.