Election campaign spending by political parties, Party campaign spending, Political party spending at elections, Rules on spending

Election campaign spending by political parties, Party campaign spending, Political party spending at elections, Rules on spending, UK Election campaign expenditure, UK Election Candidate Expenditure, Candidate spending

There are two types of spending by or on behalf of parties at certain elections:

• Candidate spending
  
• Party campaign spending

Party campaign spending

Party campaign spending is authorised by a party to promote the party and its policies generally. For example, national newspaper adverts for the party, or leaflets explaining party policy. It also includes spending on promoting candidates at elections where the party nominates a list of candidates for a region, rather than individual candidates for local areas.

Rules on spending

There are limits on how much a party can spend on campaigning at certain elections. The limits vary by election type and are explained in our guidance for campaigners at each election.

At these elections, parties must keep a record of all their campaign spending. They must send us this information in a spending return after the election. Parties who spend over a certain amount must have this return independently audited.

Candidate spending

Candidate spending is when a candidate authorises campaigning to promote them at an election. For example, leaflets, billboard advertising, websites and campaign staff costs.

Rules on spending and donations

There are limits on candidate spending at elections and controls on the sources of funding for that spending. After the election, candidates’ agents must account for the costs of campaigning and donations to the campaign in a spending return.

Returning Officers must receive spending returns from all candidates by a certain date, which varies depending on the election. The Returning Officer is then responsible for making the returns available for public inspection.

Political party spending at past elections

The tables below show spending in Great Britain by parties that won seats at the 2010 general election, the 2009 European Parliament election, and the 2005 general election, ordered by amount spent. Details include the number of seats won, the number of seats contested, the total sums spent and regional variations in spending.

For information about election spending in Northern Ireland and for other elections, visit the Electoral Commission website.

2010 general election spending in Great Britain by parties who won seats

 2009 European Parliament election spending in Great Britain

2005 general election spending in Great Britain by parties who won seats

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