In the light of further information the Government should place a limit on the campaign expenditure of political parties (and third parties) in respect of elections to the European Parliament. The limit, when established, should be index-linked and should not be varied in future except on the recommendation of the Election Commission.
The Commission should have the duty to advise the Government on the modernisation and revision of electoral law. The Government should consult the Commission before making or proposing any changes relating to electoral law and administration.
The Commission should be, and be seen to be, an independent and impartial body. Its members should be chosen on a non-partisan basis and by means of a non-partisan procedure. Its members should nevertheless be acceptable to the leaders of the main political parties.
The Commission’s remit should cover the whole of the United Kingdom, with individual commissioners taking special responsibility for overseeing electoral matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Election returns should be sent to the Election Commission through the acting returning officers. (p 153) Fifth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life 12 72858-COI-1-14 Party Funding 5/10/98 10:46 am Page 12 81. The Election Commission should have powers to investigate suspected breaches of electoral law.
Depending on the circumstances, each side should be given equal access to an amount of core funding sufficient to enable it to mount at least a minimal campaign and to make its views widely known.
A campaign organisation in receipt of core funding should be required to submit its audited accounts to the Election Commission within three months of the referendum.
The core funding provided to the two sides in a UK-wide referendum should, in real terms, be not less than that provided in connection with the 1975 referendum. It should be enough, in connection with all referendums, to cover the establishment of a campaign headquarters for each side, with basic equipment and staff.
Each side should also be provided with the same facilities as parliamentary candidates in general elections, namely, a free mailing of a statement of its views to every household and the free use of public premises for the holding of meetings.
The government of the day in future referendums should, as a government, remain neutral and should not distribute at public expense literature, even purportedly ‘factual’ literature, setting out or otherwise promoting its case.
Donations to campaigning individuals and organisations in referendums from one source which total £5,000 or more should be publicly disclosed in audited accounts which should be delivered to the Election Commission within three months of the holding of the referendum.
Campaigning individuals and organisations other than political parties that wish to incur ‘referendum expenses’ of £25,000 or more, should register, like a political party, with the Election Commission. No individual or organisation not so registered may incur expenses in connection with a referendum in excess of £25,000.
The ban on political advertising on television and radio should be maintained. Existing legislation should be reviewed to ensure that its reach is sufficiently wide to block attempts at evasion by new modes of communication.
The political parties should seek to agree, in association with the advertising industry, a code of best practice for political advertising in the non-broadcast media.
In future the Political Honours Scrutiny Committee (p HSC) should be requested to scrutinise every case where a nominee for an honour of CBE and above has directly or indirectly donated £5,000 or more to a political party at any time in the preceding five years. The PHSC should satisfy itself that the donation has made no contribution to the nomination for an honour.
In future the PHSC should monitor the relationship between nominations for honours (at CBE level and above) and donations made to political parties or associated organisations in order to ensure that an undue preponderance of honours is not conferred on those who have directly or indirectly made donations.
The PHSC should be renamed the ‘Honours Scrutiny Committee’. (p 193) Fifth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life 14 72858-COI-1-14 Party Funding 5/10/98 10:46 am Page 14 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.1 The Committee on Standards in Public Life is a standing committee which was originally appointed by the then Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. John Major MP, in October