DUP MLAs are fined for not declaring donations

THREE DUP MLAs have been fined after failing to declare a donation within the set timeframe.

Jonathan Buckley, Michelle McIlveen and William Humphrey were each fined £200 by the Electoral Commission.

They were found to have failed to report a donation within 30 days. All three paid their fines in early July.

A DUP spokesman said: “A declaration was made to the Northern Ireland Assembly’s register of interests, but the Electoral Commission was not notified. This was an oversight and has been corrected.”

In a statement the Electoral Commission said it had also concluded three investigations into failures to comply with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act by three regulated donees, relating to donations accepted prior to July 1, 2017.

It imposed penalties of £250, £300 and £600 on these three regulated donees.

The deadline for payment or appeal is September 9, 2019.

The commission is unable to disclose any information concerning donations to Northern Ireland recipients made prior to July 1, 2017.

Louise Edwards, director of regulation at the Electoral Commission, urged for the law to be changed to allow the disclosure of this information.

“We continue to urge the Government to bring forward legislation that will enable us to publish information on donations from January 2014,” she said.

“This would give transparency and confidence to voters in Northern Ireland.”