Electoral Commission
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Over £3m received by political parties and campaigners in first week of campaign
£3.247m in donations to political parties have been reported to the Electoral Commission in the first weekly pre-poll report (Opens in new window), published ahead of the UK Parliamentary general election on 4 July.
Political party donations summary
Total donations over £11,180 received by parties during the reporting period from 30 May to 5 June 2024:
| Party | Donations received (excl. public funds) | Public funds received | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Party (Opens in new window) | £25,000 | £0 | £25,000 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party (GB) (Opens in new window) | £574,918 | £22,453 | £597,372 |
| Co-operative Party (Opens in new window) | £120,000 | £0 | £120,000 |
| Labour Party (Opens in new window) | £926,908 | £652,411 | £1,579,319 |
| Liberal Democrats (Opens in new window) | £454,999 | £108,308 | £563,307 |
| Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales (Opens in new window) | £0 | £33,194 | £33,194 |
| Reform UK (Opens in new window) | £140,000 | £0 | £140,000 |
| Scottish National Party (Opens in new window) | £127,998 | £36,305 | £164,303 |
| Social Democratic Party (Opens in new window) | £25,000 | £0 | £25,000 |
| Total | £2,394,823 | £852,671 | £3,247,495 |
Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation and Digital Transformation, said:
“This is the first of the pre-poll weekly reports, which we publish in the lead up to the general election.
“We know that voters are interested in where parties get their money from, and these publications are an important part of delivering transparency for voters. While there is no limit to what parties can raise, there are spending limits in place ahead of elections to ensure a level playing field.”
Prior to the UK Parliamentary general election, registered political parties must submit four weekly reports setting out the donations and loans over £11,180 that they have received between 30 May and 26 June 2024. Two further reports must be submitted after polling day for the period 27 June to 4 July 2024.
In the pre-poll weekly reports, political parties and non-party campaigners must report donations that they have received during the relevant period. However, they have 30 days after receiving a donation to check that it is from a permissible source and to decide whether to accept it.
The threshold for political parties reporting donations to the Commission increased in January 2024. Following a change in law by the UK Government, parties are required to report donations over £11,180 (previously £7,500).
Loans summary
No political parties entered into loans or credit facilities of over £11,180 during this reporting period.
For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk (Opens in new window)
Notes to editors
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Details of the reporting periods and the deadline for delivery of reports are below:
Reporting period Deadline for delivrey of reports Publication dates 30 May - 5 June Wednesday 12 June 2024 Friday 14 June 2024 6 June - 12 June Wednesday 19 June 2024 Friday 21 June 2024 13 June - 19 June Wednesday 26 June 2024 Friday 28 June 2024 20 June - 26 June Wednesday 3 July 2024 Monday 8 July 2024 27 June - 3 July Wednesday 10 July 2024 Monday 15 July 2024 4 July (shorter than 7 days) Thursday 11 July 2024 Monday 15 July 2024 - The threshold for reporting donations increased to £11,180 in January 2024. At the last UK Parliamentary general election in 2019, the reporting threshold was £7,500.
- A non-party campaigner is a group that campaigns in the run up to elections but is not a political party and does not stand candidates. Non-party campaigners must register with us if they plan to spend more than £20,000 in England or £10,000 in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. A list of registered non-party campaigners is available on the Electoral Commission website. (Opens in new window)
- All registered political parties must submit pre-poll donation and loan reports, unless they have exempted themselves, which they can do if not standing candidates. Failure to do so will be considered in line with our Enforcement Policy.
- Donations over £11,180 accepted by parties during the second quarter of 2024 (1 April to 30 June) will be published in September.
- Registered non-party campaigners must also submit weekly donation reports setting out the donations they have received over £7,500. This information will be published alongside the political parties’ donations and loans reports. There were no donations reported by non-party campaigners in this week.
- The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:
- enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
- regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
- using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency
The Commission was set up in 2000 and reports to the Welsh, Scottish and UK parliaments.
Original article link: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/media-centre/over-ps3m-received-political-parties-and-campaigners-first-week-campaign
