Political Parties and Elections Act

A Bill introduced by Jack Straw, justice secretary, to make provision in connection with the Electoral Commission; and to make provision about political donations and expenditure and about elections.

The Bill makes some amendments to the regulation of party funding and election expenditure that is set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

In particular, the Act will:

  • enable political parties to put forward four extra Electoral Commissioners and relax political restrictions on staff of the commission
  • place further requirements on parties and donors to clarify the source of donations
  • amend the Representation of the People Act to provide a more flexible system for adding to the register of electors when an election is called while the register is being updated – the canvass period.






House of Commons

First reading: July 17 2008 [HC Bill 141]

Second reading: October 20 2008

Political Parties and Elections Bill committee:


Report stage:


Third reading: March 2 2009


House of Lords


First reading: March 3 2009 [HL Bill 26]


Second reading: March 18 2009


Committee stage:

Report stage:

Third reading: July 9 2009

Consideration of Lords Amendments: July 13 2009 [HC Bill 136]

Consideration of Commons Amendments: July 20 2009 [HL Bill 64]

Royal Assent

July 21 2009: Political Parties and Elections Bill

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