Saturday, February 06, 2016
How badly is the Brexit campaign in disarray?
Despite apparently being ahead in the polls, the campaign to leave the European Union remains as dysfunctional as ever. The Guardian reports that an acrimonious feud among the leading groups could result in none of them being designated as the official
campaign:
Arron Banks, co-founder of Leave.EU, said that the prospect of non-designation had become “a huge worry” and that potentially this could leave the campaign at a disadvantage.
The Electoral Commission is expected to nominate a lead organisation on each side of the run-up to the EU referendum which David Cameron has indicated could take place on Thursday 23 June.
Both lead organisations will get a grant worth up to £600,000, campaign broadcasts and free mailing. They will also be allowed to spend up to £7m, instead of £700,000, the limit that applies to other registered campaign groups.
Banks said: “If it is bitterly contested, and if designating is going to be controversial, the commission has a right to choose not to designate.”
This will obviously hit the leave campaign if this scenario does come about. My hunch though is that they will be rich enough to do without the state funding. We will see.
Arron Banks, co-founder of Leave.EU, said that the prospect of non-designation had become “a huge worry” and that potentially this could leave the campaign at a disadvantage.
The Electoral Commission is expected to nominate a lead organisation on each side of the run-up to the EU referendum which David Cameron has indicated could take place on Thursday 23 June.
Both lead organisations will get a grant worth up to £600,000, campaign broadcasts and free mailing. They will also be allowed to spend up to £7m, instead of £700,000, the limit that applies to other registered campaign groups.
Banks said: “If it is bitterly contested, and if designating is going to be controversial, the commission has a right to choose not to designate.”
This will obviously hit the leave campaign if this scenario does come about. My hunch though is that they will be rich enough to do without the state funding. We will see.
