London, Dec 9, (PA Media/dpa/GNA) – Britain’s Conservative Party has been fined 17,800 pounds (23,550 dollars) for failing to keep proper records regarding a donation to refurbish Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street dwelling.
An Electoral Commission investigation found that the party failed to fully report a donation of 67,801.72 pounds from Huntswood Associates Limited in October 2020, including 52,801.72 pounds connected to the costs of refurbishment to 11 Downing Street – where the prime minister lives.
Louise Edwards, director of regulation at the Electoral Commission, said: “Our investigation into the Conservative Party found that the laws around the reporting and recording of donations were not followed.
“We know that voters have concerns about the transparency of funding of political parties.
“Reporting requirements are in place so that the public can see where money is coming from, inaccurate reporting risks undermining trust in the system.
“The party’s decisions and actions reflected serious failings in its
compliance systems.
“As a large and well-resourced political party that employs compliance and finance experts, and that has substantial sums of money going through its accounts, the Conservative Party should have sufficiently robust systems in place to meet its legal reporting requirements.”
GNA