‘Remain alliance’ could face electoral watchdog enquiry over anti Brexit pact in 60 seats

‘Remain alliance’ could face electoral watchdog enquiry over anti Brexit pact in 60 seats

  • The Lib Dems, Greens and Wales’ Plaid Cymru have brokered a election pact 
  • Tory Chair James Cleverly has written to the Electoral Commission urging probe 
  • Unite to Remain director Peter Dunphy insists he has obeyed election rules 

The Conservatives have called on election officials to investigate the pact brokered between Remain parties.

An alliance between the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Wales’ Plaid Cymru in 60 seats has shaken Boris Johnson’s Tories who fear the agreement could deny them victories in marginal seats. 

Tory Chairman James Cleverly has reportedly written to the Electoral Commission demanding the watchdog probes Unite To Remain – the third-party campaign group credited with forging the alliance – suggesting it could break spending laws.

But Unite to Remain has rubbished any suggestion of wrongdoing and told MailOnline the Tories are ‘throwing mud’ without any basis in fact.

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson stands to gain the most from the Remain Alliance, with Green and Plaid Cymru stepping aside for her candidates in 43 seats

Liberal Democrats politician Heidi Allen speaks at a press conference announcing a Remain Alliance pact in London

Liberal Democrats politician Heidi Allen speaks at a press conference announcing a Remain Alliance pact in London

The row between the Conservatives and Unite to Remain began in September when Mr Cleverly implied the campaign group was infringing rules. 

He wrote: ‘I would ask the Electoral Commission whether there has been a potential or pending breach of electoral law by the Unite to Remain organisation, and whether initial enforcement proceedings should be commenced to avoid a breach of the law in a regulated period.’

The watchdog then threw out the complaint on the basis that the UK was not in an election cycle.

But the Conservatives, who are desperate to win the December 12 poll to ram their Brexit deal through Parliament, have renewed their call for an investigation, according to the Telegraph. 

Citing possible breaches of electoral law by ‘coordinating resources’, Mr Cleverly wrote: ‘I urge you to urgently investigate the activities of Unite to Remain and ask what pre-emptive measures can be considered to prevent a potential serious breach of electoral law.’ 

In September Tory Chairman James Cleverly wrote to the Electoral Commission demanding the watchdog probes Unite To Remain

In September Tory Chairman James Cleverly wrote to the Electoral Commission demanding the watchdog probes Unite To Remain

The Greens' only MP Caroline Lucas will be given a free run at her Brighton Pavillion constituency

The Greens’ only MP Caroline Lucas will be given a free run at her Brighton Pavillion constituency

The election spending laws governing pacts between parties

There are no laws prohibiting electoral pacts between parties during elections, but strict and complex spending rules must be obeyed.

Notional spending – donations from non-party campaigners – over £50 must be declared by the recipient, be it a party or an individual candidate.     

If a campaign group such as Unite to Remain is canvassing for a specific candidate in a constituency, it must receive the green light from the candidate’s agent for any spending over £700, as this will count towards the candidate’s spending.

If a non-campaigner spends over £20,000 in England or £10,000 in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland it must register with the Electoral Commission

It means the group will need to do a separate return for your non-party campaigner spending. 

Where a party seeks a pact and there is public activity around this, spending is likely to be spending promoting your party, even if it agrees to stand aside in a slate of constituencies. 

Source: Electoral Commission

Unite to Remain director Peter Dunphy has hit back at Mr Cleverly and insisted their pact rigorously obeyed electoral rules and had applied to act as an official campaign group. 

He told MailOnline that the Electoral Commission has accepted their application to be a registered non-party campaign group and reassured him no investigation was being brought.

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson stands to gain the most from the Remain Alliance, with Green and Plaid Cymru stepping aside for her candidates in 43 seats. 

Strict spending laws govern electoral campaigns, with each party capped at £30,000 per constituency.

The pact is hoping to claim some high-profile Tory scalps this winter, targeting seats held by one-time Tory leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt, foreign secretary Dominic Raab and Alun Cairns, who quit as Welsh Secretary this week amid accusations he knowingly endorsed a candidate who collapsed a rape trial.

Most in danger of being ousted by the Remain pact is ex-London Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, who is defending his wafer thin 45-vote majority against former Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney. 

The Electoral Commission has confirmed that Unite to Remain has applied to be a non-party campaigner in the upcoming ballot, which the watchdog is considering.

Liberal Democrat politicians Heidi Allen (left), Sal Brinton (right) and Green Party MEP Molly Scott Cato announcing the Remain pact

Liberal Democrat politicians Heidi Allen (left), Sal Brinton (right) and Green Party MEP Molly Scott Cato announcing the Remain pact

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk