The Conservatives have called on election officials to investigate the pact brokered between Remain parties.
An alliance between theLiberal Democrats, the Green Party and Wales’ Plaid Cymru in 60 seats has shakenBoris Johnson‘s Tories who fear the agreement could deny them victories in marginal seats.
Tory Chairman James Cleverly has written to the Electoral Commission demanding the watchdog probes Unite To Remain – the third-party campaign group credited with forging the alliance – suggesting it could break spending laws.
But Unite to Remain has rubbished any suggestion of wrongdoing and told MailOnline the Tories are ‘throwing mud’ and that they had been reassured no action was being brought against them.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson stands to gain the most from the Remain Alliance, with Green and Plaid Cymru stepping aside for her candidates in 43 seats
Liberal Democrats politician Heidi Allen speaks at a press conference announcing a Remain Alliance pact in London
The row between the Conservatives and Unite to Remain began in September when Mr Cleverly implied the campaign group was infringing rules.
He wrote: ‘I would ask the Electoral Commission whether there has been a potential or pending breach of electoral law by the Unite to Remain organization, and whether initial enforcement actions should be commenced to avoid a breach of the law in a regulated period. ‘
The watchdog then threw out the complaint on the basis that the UK was not in an election cycle.
But the Conservatives , who are desperate to win the December 12 poll to ram their Brexit deal through Parliament, have renewed their call for an investigation, according tothe Telegraph.
Citing possible breaches of electoral law by ‘coordinating resources’, Mr Cleverly wrote:’ I urge you to urgently investigate the activities of Unite to Remain and ask what pre-emptive measures can be considered to prevent a potential serious breach of electoral law. ‘
In September Tory Chairman James Cleverly wrote to the Electoral Commission demanding the watchdog probes Unite To Remain
The Greens’ only MP Caroline Lucas will be given a free run at her Brighton Pavillion constituency
The election spending laws governing pacts between parties
There are no laws prohibiting electoral pacts between parties during elections, but strict and complex spending rules must be obeyed.
Notional spending – donations from non-party campaigners – over £ 50 must be declared by the recipient, be it a party or an individual candidate.
If a campaign group such as Unite to Remain is canvassing for a specific candidate in a constituency, it must receive the green light from the candidate’s agent for any spending over £ 700, as this will count towards the candidate’s spending.
If a non-campaigner spends over £ 20, 000 in England or £ 10, 000 in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland it must register with the Electoral Commission
It means the group will need to do a separate return for your non-party campaigner spending.
Where a party seeks a pact and there is public activity around this, spending is likely to be spending promoting your party, even if it agrees to stand aside in a slate of constituencies.
Source:Electoral Commission
Unite to Remain director Peter Dunphy has hit back at Mr Cleverly and insisted their pact rigorously obeyed electoral rules and had applied to act as an official campaign group.
He told MailOnline that the Electoral Commission has accepted their application to be a registered non-party campaign group and reassured him no investigation was being brought.
Mr Dunphy said : ‘It doesn’t surprise us that the Conservatives done this.
‘ Because we are doing something that’s worrying them. They’re just throwing mud. ‘
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson stands to gain the most from the Remain Alliance, with Green and Plaid Cymru stepping aside for her candidates in 43 Seats.
Strict spending laws govern electoral campaigns, with each party capped at £ 30, 000 per constituency.
The pact is hoping to claim some high-profile Tory scalps this winter, targeting seats held by one-time Tory leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt, foreign secretary Dominic Raab and Alun Cairns, who quit as Welsh Secretary this week amid accusations he knowingly endorsed a candidate who collapsed a rape trial.
Most in danger of being ousted by the Remain pact is ex-London Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, who is defending his wafer thin 45 – vote majority against former Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney.
The Electoral Commission has confirmed that Unite to Remain has applied to be a non-party campaigner in the upcoming ballot, which the watchdog is considering.
Liberal Democrat politicians Heidi Allen (left), Sal Brinton (right) and Green Party MEP Molly Scott Cato announcing the Remain pact
The 60 seats where the Remain pact will unite behind one candidate
Green Party
Brighton, Pavilion , Isle of Wight, Bristol West, Bury St Edmunds, Stroud
Dulwich and West Norwood, Forest of Dean, Cannock Chase, Exeter, Vale of Glamorgan
Bath, Bermondsey and Old Southwark, Buckingham, Cheadle, Chelmsford
Chelsea and Fulham, Cheltenham, Chippenham, Esher and Walton
Finchley and Golders Green, Guildford, Harrogate and Knaresborough, Hazel Grove,
Hitchin and Harpenden, North Cornwall, North Norfolk, Oxford West
Abingdon, Penistone and Stocksbridge, Portsmouth South, Richmond Park
Romsey and Southampton, North Rushcliffe, South Cambridgeshire, South East Cambridgeshire
South West Surrey, Southport, Taunton Deane, Thornbury and Yate, Totnes
Tunbridge Wells, Twickenham, Wantage, Warrington South, Watford, Wells
Westmorland and Lonsdale, Wimbledon, Winchester, Witney, York Outer,
Brecon and Radnorshire, Cardiff Central, Montgomeryshire
Plaid Cymru
Arfon , Caerphilly, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Dwyfor, Meirionnydd, Llanelli, Pontypridd, Ynys Mon
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