[pp.int.general] Party of the Week: Pirate Party UK

[Eric Priezkalns]

Ha!

My own correction is incorrect.  The relevant threshold for donations  
from people not registered to vote in the UK is GBP£500.  The  
threshold changed at the start of 2010 (after I stepped down as party  
treasurer...)

E

On 5 May 2010, at 16:15, Eric Priezkalns wrote:

> This information is wrong.  Please would you correct it immediately  
> on any websites where it is repeated.
>
> The restriction of donations to registered UK voters only applies to  
> donations over GBP£200.
>
> A full explanation of the donation rules would take rather a while  
> to explain.  Let us just say they are rather more complicated, but  
> are simultaneously rather less precise, than they really should be  
> (which reflects how the legislative process works in the UK).  This  
> error may reflect a misconception about how PPUK needs to interpret  
> and apply those rules.  The relevant rule is designed to avoid  
> attempts to work around it by making it clear that it also applies  
> to the cumulative value of multiple donations.  So, for example,  
> somebody could not evade the rule by making three separate donations  
> of GBP£100 each.  However, what is not well defined in UK  
> legislation is the reference period over which to measure the  
> cumulative value of donations.  For these reasons, the Party  
> Treasurer will need to review donations on a case-by-case basis to  
> assure himself if they are permitted.  If not, the donation will  
> need to be returned.  One unfortunate consequence of this is that if  
> somebody is not registered to vote in the UK, makes multiple  
> donations and their last donation causes the cumulative total of  
> £GBP200 to be exceeded, then the total value of all the donations  
> would need to be returned.
>
> Of course, the frequency with which should issues arise in practice  
> is very low.