The Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016

Bribery

134.—(1) A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if that person is guilty of bribery.

(2) A person is guilty of bribery if that person, directly or indirectly, by themselves or by any other person on their behalf—

(a) gives any money or procures any office to or for—

(i) any person entitled to sign a petition,

(ii) any other person on behalf of any person entitled to sign a petition, or

(iii) any other person,

in order to induce any person to sign a petition or to refrain from doing so;

(b) corruptly does any such act on account of any person having signed the petition or refrained from doing so; or

(c) makes any such gift or procurement to or for any person in order to induce that person to procure, or endeavour to procure, a particular outcome in the petition or a person to sign it or refrain from doing so.

(3) A person is guilty of bribery if upon or in consequence of any gift or procurement mentioned in paragraph (2) that person procures or engages, promises or endeavours to procure a particular outcome in the petition or a person to sign it or refrain from doing so.

(4) For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3)—

(a) references to giving money include references to giving, lending, agreeing to give or lend, offering, promising, or promising to procure or endeavour to procure any money or valuable consideration; and

(b) references to procuring any office include references to giving, procuring, agreeing to give or procure, offering, promising, or promising to procure or to endeavour to procure any office, place or employment.

(5) A person is guilty of bribery if that person advances or pays or causes to be paid any money to or for the use of any other person with the intent that that money or any part of it will be expended in bribery in relation to a petition or knowingly pays or causes to be paid any money to any person in discharge or repayment of any money wholly or in part expended in bribery in relation to a petition.

(6) This regulation does not apply to any money paid or agreed to be paid for or on account of any legal expenses incurred in good faith in relation to a petition.

(7) A person signing a petition is guilty of bribery if, before the end of the signing period, that person directly or indirectly by themselves or by any other person on their behalf receives, agrees, or contracts for any money, gift, loan or valuable consideration, office, place or employment for themselves or for any other person for signing the petition or agreeing to do so or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from doing so.

(8) A person is guilty of bribery if, after the end of the signing period for a petition, that person directly or indirectly by themselves or by any other person on their behalf receives any money or valuable consideration on account of any person having signed the petition or refrained from doing so or having induced any other person to sign or refrain from doing so.

(9) In this regulation, the expression “person signing the petition” includes any person who is or claims to be entitled to sign the petition.