Part 2 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 amends the legislation which applies to campaigners who are not political parties or candidates during an election period. In certain circumstances, “third-party campaigners” (i.e. people or organisations who are engaged in political campaigning but are not political parties) are required to register with the Electoral Commission.
This guidance is relevant to parliamentary elections only and not to Church of England elections to General Synod, deanery synods, PCCs or any other synodical body.
The probability is that few, if any, parishes and diocesan bodies will have to register with the Electoral Commission as “third party campaigners” during the election period before the general election in May. Church bodies will generally either not be involved in “controlled expenditure” at all or, if they are, such expenditure will be below the limit imposed on spending by unregistered campaigners (£20,000).
This guidance note, issued by the National Church, is intended to provide assistance for those parishes or diocesan bodies which are engaged in campaigning on policy issues and are concerned that they might possibly be required to register.
Download the guidance from the resources block at the bottom of this page.
