Electoral Commission chair warns of threat to independence

The Electoral Commission has called for changes to legislation brought in by the previous Conservative government (PA) - (PA Wire)

The chair of the Electoral Commission has described current legislation as a threat to the regulator’s independence and called for it be repealed.

John Pullinger told a committee of MPs that the Elections Act passed under the Conservative government in 2022, which allows ministers to publish a “strategy and policy statement” to which the commission “must have regard”, undermines confidence and scrutiny of the watchdog at a time when public confidence in democratic norms is dwindling.