Overview

• The Electoral Commission fined Labour Together £14,250 in 2021 for late reporting of nearly £740,000 in donations, a case now under review in light of newly published correspondence.
• The Conservatives published a 2021 email from Labour lawyer Gerald Shamash advising that, absent evidence for prior guidance, Labour Together should characterise the non‑reporting as an administrative error.
• The Electoral Commission has not reopened its case and is assessing whether the new material materially changes its original findings, with a conclusion expected this week.
• Conservative chair Kevin Hollinrake has asked the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to investigate alleged undeclared support to Starmer’s 2020 leadership bid, alongside earlier referrals to the Commission and police.
• Labour states McSweeney’s pay during the leadership campaign came from Starmer’s campaign, not Labour Together, while the Daily Mail reports Commission records from 2017 indicated donations needed to be declared.