Political Parties: Finance

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given on 10 July to Question UIN 14977. As set out in that answer, all recipients of political donations will need to carry out enhanced Know Your Donor due diligence checks on donations over £11,180, including where relevant donations are received across different parts of a political party’s organisation. The recipient considering whether to accept a donation remains responsible for satisfying itself that it has complied with the statutory requirements in electoral law before accepting that donation, having regard to Electoral Commission guidance where relevant.

The Know Your Donor regime will require any relevant risk assessment to be completed before a donation may be accepted. Recipients will be required to comply with the statutory framework and have regard to Electoral Commission guidance when undertaking risk assessments. Whether a donation is treated as accepted is determined in accordance with the requirements of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The relevant consideration is whether the donation has been dealt with in accordance with those statutory requirements.

The Government has considered the impact of these reforms on political parties and other donees. The measures have been designed to build on existing permissibility checking requirements, focus additional due diligence on higher value donations, and be supported by Electoral Commission guidance. We will continue to engage with political parties and the Electoral Commission to support effective and proportionate implementation.