Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

72 Campaign expenditure

(1) The following provisions have effect for the purposes of this Part.

(2) “Campaign expenditure”, in relation to a registered party, means (subject to subsection (7)) expenses incurred by or on behalf of the party which are expenses falling within Part I of Schedule 8 and so incurred for election purposes.

(3) “Election campaign”, in relation to a registered party, means a campaign conducted by the party for election purposes.

(4) “For election purposes”, in relation to a registered party, means for the purpose of or in connection with—

(a) promoting or procuring electoral success for the party at any relevant election, that is to say, the return at any such election of candidates—

(i) standing in the name of the party, or

(ii) included in a list of candidates submitted by the party in connection with the election; or

(b) otherwise enhancing the standing—

(i) of the party, or

(ii) of any such candidates,

with the electorate in connection with future relevant elections (whether imminent or otherwise).

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)—

(a) the reference to doing any of the things mentioned in paragraph (a) or (as the case may be) paragraph (b) of that subsection includes doing so by prejudicing the electoral prospects at the election of other parties or candidates or (as the case may be) by prejudicing the standing with the electorate of other parties or candidates;

(b) a course of conduct may constitute the doing of one of those things even though it does not involve any express mention being made of the name of any party or candidate; and

(c) it is immaterial that any candidates standing in the name of the party also stand in the name of one or more other registered parties.

(6) “Relevant election” has the same meaning as in Part II.

(7) “Campaign expenditure” does not include anything which (in accordance with any enactment) falls to be included in a return as to election expenses in respect of a candidate or candidates at a particular election.

(8) Where a registered party is a party with accounting units—

(a) expenses incurred or to be incurred by or on behalf of any accounting unit of the party shall be regarded as expenses incurred or to be incurred by or on behalf of the party, and

(b) references to campaign expenditure incurred or to be incurred by or on behalf of a registered party accordingly extend, in relation to the party, to expenses which constitute such expenditure by virtue of paragraph (a).

(9) In this section “candidates” includes future candidates, whether identifiable or not.

(10) Nothing in this Part applies in relation to expenses incurred or to be incurred by or on behalf of a minor party.