Electoral Commission: Sam Younger Question 10

Dear Sam Younger

Should certain bad practices e.g. blatant dishonesty in content e.g. use of parliamentary allowances for small c campaigning e.g. paid advertising on campaign material be specifically outlawed and very severe penalties be introduced?

For example: A re-run of an election with all opposing parties being reimbursed by the offender.

For example: Votes for a rule breaking candidate being ignored and the next best candidate being elected.

At the moment existing rules, such as they are, don't seem to be enforced.

There is no deterrence for bad behaviour.

Paradoxically, the most honest and upstanding individuals and their parties in a particularly tight corner could well be disadvantaged by the lack of real supervision.

Although they might otherwise be the best bet for the constituents.

The amount that is spent clearly makes a difference. In the constituency given in the first example voters explained their vote:

"We got eleven leaflets from X and only two from Y. Meaning X cared more and got our vote."

In reality X was very likely cheating.

Best wishes

Labour of Love

Mr Younger is appearing on 18 Doughty Street tomorrow. Iain wants question suggestions. Here are ten of many, concentrating on election spends nitty gritty. Other posts in series "clocked" back one year.