Overview

• Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake has asked the Electoral Commission to open a formal inquiry and to consider referring the matter to police over alleged breaches of political finance rules.
• His letter cites purported 2021 legal advice from solicitor Gerald Shamash that, according to the Tories, discussed presenting late donation disclosures as an administrative error.
• Labour Together says it raised concerns with the regulator in 2020, fully cooperated with the investigation, and considers the matter concluded after the published outcome.
• The Electoral Commission confirms it thoroughly investigated the late reporting and fined Labour Together £14,250 in September 2021 for offences found without reasonable excuse.
• Filings show around £739,000 in donations from 2018 to July 2020 were declared only after Morgan McSweeney left, when successor Hannah O’Rourke filed late returns, while Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy dismisses the Tory push as muckraking.