Why we need to reform the Electoral Commission and the Register of Member's Interests

9.08.00am GMT Mon 28th Jan 2008

Over the last few months we have seen a massive increase in the number of politicians who have not registered donations or other items with either the Electoral Commission or the Register of Member's Interests. I may be being generous but I don't believe all of those concerned are corrupt or deliberately not declaring things properly, so perhaps we need to reform the Electoral Commission and the Register of Member's Interests.

Firstly at the moment some things have to be declared to the Electoral Commission and some to the Register of Member's Interests - some have to be declared to both! So maybe we should reform it so only one declaration is needed - this may help solve some of the problems.

Let's also make it very clear if someone is just a little late declaring donations what will happen and what will happen if someone is more than (say) a month declaring and a third punishment for those deemed to have been deliberately hiding donations - or encouraging, proxies or people who cannot donate to do so.

At the moment the Electoral Commission can only give someone a slap on the wrist or refer the case to the police - why not give the Electoral Commission teeth that allows other sanctions - financial and political ones.

Once it has all been clarified these things have to be policed even closer - my final recommendation is that the Electoral Commission being given additional resources to employ more staff and proactively investigate allegations.

Finally whilst much of the focus has been on individual MPs and other organisations, it is time to really start looking at the Political Parties. Since the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act cam into being there has been a responsibility of local parties of each of the Political Parties to make regular returns, many have got away with either not submitting these or submitting them late - it is time the Electoral Commission cracked down on these too.