226.Section 131 amends section 75 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. The effect of subsections (2) and (3) is to substitute new limits on third party expenditure in support of or in opposition to a candidate at a parliamentary or local government election. The existing limit of £5 was held by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Bowman v United Kingdom (9 February 1998) to be so low as to amount to an unjustified restriction on freedom of expression. A new limit of £500 is set for parliamentary elections. The new limit for a local government election is £50 plus 0.5 pence per elector. By virtue of subsections (4) and (5) the new limit for local government elections will also apply to Greater London Authority elections in place of the special provision made by and under section 75(1B) and (1C) of the 1983 Act (as inserted by paragraph 19(4) of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999).
Commentary on Sections Part VIII : Election campaigns and proceedings Section 131 : Election expenses incurred otherwise than by candidate