Electoral Commission Investigation: Vote Leave Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Electoral Commission Investigation: Vote Leave

Karen Buck Excerpts
Tuesday 17th July 2018

(6 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chloe Smith Portrait Chloe Smith
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The police have already received references from this investigation, and I think that stands for itself.

Karen Buck Portrait Ms Karen Buck (Westminster North) (Lab)
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Does the Minister understand that the anger is because we are not discussing a parish council election or a local authority by-election, but a matter that goes to the heart of the most important political and constitutional arrangement that has happened in most of our political lifetimes? Does she recognise that the scale of the fines being imposed is derisory, not just in terms of the overspend but the size of the prize that the leave campaign cheated to obtain?

Chloe Smith Portrait Chloe Smith
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I entirely understand the points that Members have come to the House today to make. I am simply acknowledging that there are broader issues than only those in this report that need to be looked at together to continue to maintain confidence in our democracy. For the record, though, I think that any election, parish council or otherwise, is important and deserves its security.