About us
We are an independent review, looking at the 2015 general election to see how well the regulatory system for third party campaigning works.
We are sponsored by the Cabinet Office and established by section 39 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration (Act 2014). The review is independent of government.
We will be consulting and engaging throughout the run-up to the 2015 general election and afterwards.
Responsibilities
Our task is to assess how the regulatory system for third parties at elections works in practice, by observing the situation at the 2015 general election. We are aiming to publish the report, and send it to ministers, by the end of the year.
Lord Hodgson, who is conducting the review, has said he will be guided by the following principles:
- independence – the review is independent of government, political parties and any interest group
- strategic context – to understand and recognise the important and complex role third parties play in our electoral system
- engagement – to make contact with as wide a range of stakeholders as possible at the various stages of the review
- evidence – the review will draw its conclusions from evidence, not anecdote
About third party campaigning
Third parties are organisations or individuals that are not standing for election themselves, but are spending money on certain election-related activities or material, seeking to influence the outcome of the election. This could be for or against particular candidates or political parties, or campaigning on particular issues.
Who we are
Lord Hodgson is supported by 2 members of staff seconded from the Cabinet Office. The office is based in London.