Privileges in bid to cap election expenses

Monday 15th January 2007, 12:00AM GMT.

ELECTION campaign expenses could be capped to stop rich people buying their way into the States.

And successful candidates could be disqualified from office if they have spent over the cap – proposed at around £6,500 – or if they lie about how much they have spent. The Privileges and Procedures Committee in charge of States reform have published suggestions for a system of regulating election expenses that they want to have in place by the 2008 elections. Under the proposals, all election candidates would be able to submit a leaflet in a package sent to every registered voter in their district free of charge. But groups like Elect Jersey 2005 would be forbidden by law from helping candidates or advertising for them, although they could cover and comment on election campaigns.

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