Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

Limits in relation to referendums held throughout United Kingdom

1 (1) This paragraph imposes limits in relation to a referendum falling within section 101(1)(a).

(2) The limit on referendum expenses incurred by or on behalf of a permitted participant during the referendum period in the case of such a referendum is—

(a) £5 million in the case of a person or body designated under section 108;

(b) in the case of a registered party falling within section 105(1)(a) but not designated under section 108—

(i) £5 million, if the party’s relevant percentage exceeds 30 per cent,

(ii) £4 million, if the party’s relevant percentage is more than 20 per cent. but not more than 30 per cent,

(iii) £3 million, if the party’s relevant percentage is more than 10 per cent. but not more than 20 per cent,

(iv) £2 million, if the party’s relevant percentage is more than 5 per cent. but not more than 10 per cent,

(v) £500,000, if the party’s relevant percentage is not more than 5 per cent. or if it has no relevant percentage; and

(c) £500,000 in the case of a person or body falling within section 105(1)(b) but not designated under section 108.

(3) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) a registered party has a relevant percentage in relation to a referendum to which this paragraph applies if, at the last parliamentary general election taking place before the referendum, votes were cast for one or more candidates at the election authorised to use the party’s registered name; and

(b) the amount of its relevant percentage is equal to the percentage of the total number of votes cast for all candidates at that election which is represented by the total number of votes cast for the candidate or candidates mentioned in paragraph (a).

(4) Where at any such general election a candidate was authorised to use the registered name of more than one registered party, then for the purposes of sub-paragraph (3)(b) as it applies in relation to each of those parties, the number of votes cast for the candidate shall be taken to be the total number cast for him divided by the number of parties.

(5) In this paragraph any reference to a parliamentary general election is to one taking place after the passing of this Act.