Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill

Debate between Lord Martin of Springburn and Lord Bishop of Oxford

Tuesday 28th January 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Martin of Springburn]

I respect everything the noble and right reverend Lord has said, but just to clarify my position, there are two ways of dealing with election finances: there is cash, and in kind. My worry is that the third-party group can be given support, perhaps even unwittingly, in kind rather than with cash.

[Lord Harries of Pentregarth]

I thank the noble Lord. However, the issue is primarily one of bureaucracy. We can see the kind of muddle there is because the noble Lord, Lord Martin, said that of course telephone calls and e-mails and the costs of those can be accounted for, while the noble and learned Lord on the Front Bench said that that is not really needed, and the noble Baroness, Lady Mallalieu, pointed out that this is such a rough guide that it is too vague to be enforced. I therefore feel that we should test the opinion of the House on this issue.