The Committee notes the concerns from non-party campaigners that the lower tier of registration with the Electoral Commission, introduced under the Elections Act 2022, may have the unintended consequence of deterring political campaigning by small groups that lack the resources to comply with the transparency requirements. If this is the case, it will be important not to exacerbate the issue further.

The Committee notes the concerns from non-party campaigners that the lower tier of registration with the Electoral Commission, introduced under the Elections Act 2022, may have the unintended consequence of deterring political campaigning by small groups that lack the resources to comply with the transparency requirements. If this is the case, it will be important not to exacerbate the issue further. Type: conclusion | Number: 13 | Paragraph: 64 | Response status: under_consideration Government response: The Government recognises the important role third-party campaigners play in the political process. Our democracy is strengthened by people campaigning for what they believe in. Of course, the existing rules and those introduced by the Elections Act 2022 only apply to qualifying election expenditure