North's parties should disclose donors, says Electoral Commission

Political parties in the North need to come clean about the source of their donations, the Electoral Commission said today.

Historic concern about the safety and security of donors makes their details confidential but the head of the party election finance regulator said there needed to be greater transparency.

Seamus Magee said arrangements were due to end by October 2010 with Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward deciding whether to scrap the legislation.

“Ultimately, it’s a decision for the Secretary of State and one that will need the support of political parties and the public,” he said.

“For political parties to engage with the public they need to be adequately resourced but transparency is part of a healthy democracy and our preference would be for the public to have that information in their hands as soon as possible.”

From November 2007, parties in the North have been required to report details of donations received to the Commission with similar rules on loans in place since last July. However, the law prevents the authority from publishing the information.

Many donors were afraid to reveal their identities during the conflict here in case they were targeted by hostile groups.

An NIO spokeswoman said: “It remains our hope that an extension will not be needed. We are continuing to keep the situation under review.”