Elections watchdog ‘made basic errors’

THE elections watchdog should be stripped of existing enforcement powers, having made “gross errors” including one which would have been avoided by a first year law student, according to a QC who has advised the body.

In a submission to a Whitehall panel examining the Electoral Commission’s role, Timothy Straker said the body had demonstrated it “always has its own interest to protect”. His intervention came as the commission embarked on an attempt to take over responsibility for prosecuting many criminal offences rather than referring suspected breaches of those laws to the police and Crown Prosecution Service. Last week The Sunday Tel

egraph revealed that the Conservative Party suggested to the Committee on Standards in Public Life that the commission should be abolished or radically overhauled because it has become “accountable to no one”.

Amid mounting concerns over the regulator’s performance and accountability, Amanda Milling, the Conservative chairman, claimed the body was “not fit for purpose” and should not be allowed to hand itself the ability to prosecute parties and campaign groups.

In his submission, dated August 20, Mr Straker, who has previously acted for the commission, said: “In so far as the Electoral Commission has a role as regulator of election finance it ought to be one of maintaining any register of such finance and making it available for inspection.”

Mr Straker also acted for Darren Grimes, the proBrexit campaigner who has described the commission as a “kangaroo court” after the Metropolitan Police ended an investigation into his activities two years after a referral by the commission for alleged breaches of spending rules.

Mr Straker said: “It fined Mr Grimes the maximum (on a false legal basis) without making any inquiry as to Mr Grimes’s means. This is a gross error which would not have been committed by a first year law student.”

The commission insists it carries out its work “to the highest standards”.

A spokesman said: “We look forward to seeing the outcome of the committee’s review, and to discussing how the framework can be updated to strengthen financial regulation and deliver greater voter confidence.”

‘This gross error would not have been committed by a first year law student’