“Like giving a toddler a gun”

Lord Evans, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, has given the starkest warning yet on the Government’s plans for the Electoral Commission.

The Elections Bill, which is having its 2nd reading in the House of Commons today, will end the independence of the UK’s election watchdog. In future, the Electoral Commission will have its strategy and priorities set by a Government Minister and its work will be overseen by the Speaker’s Committee, which also has an unprecedented, convention-breaching Government majority.

The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s recent report on Election Finances strongly called for the Electoral Commission’s independence to be strengthened and its powers increased. Instead the Government is trashing its autonomy.

When asked about the Government’s plans for the Electoral Commission this morning during an evidence session before a PACAC (Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee) inquiry into the Elections Bill, Lord Evans warned:

"It is like giving a toddler a gun ... it may not immediately lead to disaster, but it's an extremely dangerous thing to do."

Unlock Democracy, which submitted evidence to the Committee, shares Lord Evans’ ‘serious misgivings’.

Tom Brake, Director of Unlock Democracy said: “The Electoral Commission has a vital role in overseeing and policing our elections. Putting it under the control of the governing party pulls the rug out from under our democracy and neuters what should be an independent body.

“Even if the current government doesn’t misuse this power, there’s nothing to stop a future government taking advantage and rigging the system in its favour. This could include directing the Electoral Commission to turn a blind eye to certain rule breaches or restricting campaigning by opponents of the government.”

Unlock Democracy and dozens of civil society organisations are calling on the Government to pause and rethink this bill.

Tom Brake added, “The UK’s election laws are in real need of an overhaul. We need an elections bill that will tackle problems like low voter turnout, disinformation, foreign interference and big money in politics.

“As this bill stands, it does none of that and instead it gives the Government of the day more power at the expense of opposition parties and ordinary voters.

“Opposition is growing against this bill and I hope the Government will listen - our democracy is too important to be put at risk in this way.”

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