The grassroots campaign group Momentum is being investigated for alleged breaches of general election spending rules, the UK’s electoral watchdog has announced.
The hugely influential organisation, which has powered Jeremy Corbyn’s transformation of the Labour party, faces claims that it exceeded spending limits and failed to declare accurate or complete returns on donations and payments.
The Electoral Commission said that it was possible that during its probe it would identify other potential contraventions or offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
Bob Posner, the Electoral Commission’s Director of Political Finance and Regulation and Legal Counsel, said the investigation would discover whether the rules or law was broken before deciding appropriate action.
“Momentum are a high profile active campaigning body. Questions over their compliance with the campaign finance rules at June’s general election risks causing harm to voters’ confidence in elections.
“There is significant public interest in us investigating Momentum to establish the facts in this matter and whether there have been any offences.
“Once complete, the Commission will decide whether any breaches have occurred and, if so, what further action may be appropriate, in line with its enforcement policy.”
Momentum was founded in 2015 by Jon Lansman, the veteran leftwing activist, in a bid to protect Corbyn’s new leadership amid fears that Labour MPs would resist his plans for the direction of the party.
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