BNP accounts under investigation
Watchdog questions adequacy of party accounts
The BNP election campaign suffered a serious setback yesterday when the
Electoral Commission announced that party’s accounts were under investigation.
A statement posted on the commission’s website: “In January 2010 the
Electoral Commission, the independent party finance watchdog, began a case
review following concerns raised in the independent auditor’s opinion about the
adequacy of the 2008 statement of accounts of the British National Party.
“The case has now become an investigation. However, it is important to note –
particularly during an election period – that no conclusion has been reached and
therefore no assumption should be made as to whether a breach of the rules has
occurred.”
The BNP has already had a run-in with the Electoral Commission. Last year the
party was fined for filing accounts six months late. Then the accounts were
deemed inadequate because of the declarations on election spending. The party
claimed spending of almost a half million pounds but the accounts showed just
£282, 843.