Electoral investigations and prosecutions

Since its establishment at the turn of the century, the Electoral Commission has been the regulatory body with responsibility for monitoring and regulating party and election finance and setting the standards for how elections are run.

Although its ability to bring criminal prosecutions has been tempered by the Election Act 2022, with criminal charging decisions now falling solely within the remit of the Crown Prosecution Service, it is often engaged with investigations into suspected criminal offences involving questions of political finance and election law.  James Solicitors have in-depth knowledge and experience in dealing with investigations and proceedings brought by the Electoral Commission and have represented Members of Parliament in recent high-profile cases including the DUP member Ian Paisley Jnr. If you are involved in an investigation or are seeking advice on any aspect of electoral law, please contact one of our expert solicitors.