Electoral Commission investigates Labour's election expenses in England

The Electoral Commission is investigating the use of Angela Rayner's campaign bus during last year's election. Reports suggest that the bright red bus was not properly declared in the expenses of Labour candidate Lizzie Collinge. Collinge reported her campaign expenses at £18,446.96, just below the legal limit of £20,000. However, costs associated with Rayner's battle bus, which visited Morecambe for the campaign, were not included in Collinge's financial returns. Additionally, the Conservative Party has pointed out that the bus visited five other constituencies where Labour candidates also did not report those expenses. Tory frontbencher Kevin Hollinrake has called for a thorough investigation by both the police and the Electoral Commission. In response to his concerns, the Electoral Commission confirmed they are making inquiries. Their Chief Executive, Vijay Rangarajan, noted that they take the transparency of political finance seriously and will keep Hollinrake updated on their findings. The Elections Act 2022 requires candidates to declare election expenses for goods and services that support their campaign, even if provided by a political party. A Labour spokesman stated that the party is confident that all necessary declarations regarding the bus have been made correctly. They insisted that Collinge has followed the rules and any allegations should be supported by evidence.