Police chief candidates' campaign funding revealed
by political editor Paul Francis
Candidates bidding to become Kent's elected police
commissioner are spending thousands of pounds of their own money on
their fighting funds.
Details of donations that five of the six candidates have so far
received - along with information about other income and help
- have been provided to the KM Group after they were
challenged at a hustings meeting this week to declare how their
campaigns have been funded.
The disclosures of donations reveal the extent to which some of
the candidates are dipping into their own pocket to help boost
their campaigning and how many have become a family affair.
They also show that candidates from the political parties are
relying heavily on support from activists and local
associations.
The documents provided to us show:
- Ann Barnes, one of
two independent candidates, has spent some of her late parents'
£50,000 legacy to become commissioner and has been helped by a
£2,000 donation from her daughter
- Craig
Mackinlay (Con) has contributed £10,000 from his own
pocket to further his campaign and received nearly £5,000 from his
father, along with about £10,000 from various Conservative
constituency associations
- Harriet Yeo
(Lab) has received a £10,000 donation from the TSSA union for which
she works and £2,500 from UNITE union
- Dai Liyanage
(Independent) has spent £4,800 on billboard posters at 20 sites
across the county and borrowed £5,000 from his brother for a
deposit
- Steve Uncles (English
Democrats) has spent £6,000 of his own money to cover the deposit
and for travel costs
- A spokesman for UKIP candidate Piers Wauchope
said he would be submitting his election expenses at the end
of the campaign as required under UK rules.
The two biggest spenders to date are Ann Barnes and Craig
Mackinlay, who are considered front-runners in the race for the
£85,000-a-year role.
Ann Barnes is out in front with total funding of £67,900, the
bulk of which has been £55,000 from her own savings.
Writing on her blog, she says: "I was saving this for 'a rainy
day'. Well, that 'rainy day' has come, so I've put in their
£50,000 to fund my campaign to literally save Kent
Police.
"My dear Dad was a real 'man of the people' who gave a lifetime
to helping others and encouraging them to stand up for themselves
and what they believe in. I know he would consider it money
well spent and he will be so proud of the stand I am taking and
what I am trying to do."
She also takes to task those who she claims have been spreading
untruths on the internet about the source of her income.
"Some people seem intent on trying to suggest that my campaign
could only be so strong if it were funded improperly. This is
totally untrue."
Candidates in the Kent
police commissioner election: Steve Uncles, Harriet Yeo, Ann
Barnes, Dai Liyange, Piers Wauchope and Craig Mackinlay
Conservative Craig MacKinlay has spent £48,690 to date,
including making his own contribution of £10,000 and a further
£5,000 from his father.
Writing on his blog, he said: "The election of a Police and
Crime Commissioner must be transparent, and those financing our
campaigns must be open to public scrutiny."
There has been criticism of the government after it refused
appeals to pay for all candidates to send an election address to
voters in their area.
Several independents say they are at a disadvantage compared
with party political candidates, who are able to call on the
financial support and backing of local constituency associations
and their national party.
By law, all commissioner candidates are required to detail all
their election expenses but not until after polling day.
08/11/12
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