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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dan Bloom

Britain First fined £44,000 by Electoral Commission over 'breaches of the law'

Britain First has been fined £44,000 by the election watchdog over "multiple breaches of the law".

The Electoral Commission announced the penalty today after a "thorough investigation" into the far-right party's finances.

Watchdog chiefs said the extreme group had failed to meet "basic requirements", including filing donation reports and audited accounts.

They said the breaches were a "serious offence" that showed "a disregard for the law".

It comes 17 months after Britain First's leader Paul Golding and former deputy Jayda Fransen

Paul Golding was jailed last year after being found guilty of religiously-aggravated harassment (Kent Police / SWNS)

Golding was handed an 18-week sentence and was ordered to pay £500 in compensation after being found guilty of religiously-aggravated harassment.

Fransen was handed two 18-week sentences and an 18-week sentence to be served concurrently, for a total of 36 weeks.

Last year Facebook as well as those of Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, saying they repeatedly broke the site's community standards on hate speech.

The Electoral Commission found four breaches:

  • £11,000 fine for failing to keep accurate financial records of Britain First transactions in 2016

  • £7,700 fine for failing to provide quarterly donations reports in 2016 - leaving £200,000 worth of undeclared donations

  • £5,500 fine for failing to have its 2016 statement of accounts audited by a qualified auditor, a legal requirement when parties have an annual income or expenditure over £250,000

  • £20,000 fine for failing to comply with a notice to provide information to the election watchdog.

Paul Golding and former deputy Jayda Fransen with supporters last year (PA)

In a scathing statement Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation for the Electoral Commission, said: "Today’s announcement concludes a thorough investigation into Britain First’s financial affairs which has resulted in us finding multiple breaches of the law.

"Registered political parties must provide full, accurate data on their donations and accounts so that voters can see where their money comes from.

"Britain First’s inability to meet certain basic requirements led to a disappointing lack of transparency into the party’s finances.

"The party’s failure to comply with a statutory notice is a serious offence and shows a disregard for the law.

"Throughout our investigation, we saw little to suggest that Britain First appreciated that if it wants to contest elections, it must meet its legal responsibilities, which is why we have imposed the penalties that we have."

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