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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Alexander cleared over donations | Alexander cleared over donations |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Election watchdogs have cleared Wendy Alexander of wrongdoing after her Scottish Labour leadership campaign received an illegal donation. | Election watchdogs have cleared Wendy Alexander of wrongdoing after her Scottish Labour leadership campaign received an illegal donation. |
| The Electoral Commission has decided not to make a report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. | The Electoral Commission has decided not to make a report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. |
| Labour MSP Charlie Gordon sought the £950 from Jersey-based developer Paul Green, which broke electoral law. | Labour MSP Charlie Gordon sought the £950 from Jersey-based developer Paul Green, which broke electoral law. |
| The commission said Ms Alexander did not take all reasonable steps to comply with the law. | The commission said Ms Alexander did not take all reasonable steps to comply with the law. |
| But it said that she had taken "significant" steps. | |
| In a statement, the Electoral Commission said it was "not in the public interest" to report to prosecutors on the issue of whether accepting the donation was an offence. | In a statement, the Electoral Commission said it was "not in the public interest" to report to prosecutors on the issue of whether accepting the donation was an offence. |
| Watchdog warning | |
| It also ruled there was no evidence to establish that Ms Alexander's campaign team had sought to conceal or give false information surrounding the donation. | It also ruled there was no evidence to establish that Ms Alexander's campaign team had sought to conceal or give false information surrounding the donation. |
| There will be a separate report on Mr Gordon's role, but that is not expected to emerge on Thursday. | |
| "The conclusions reached by the commission are the result of its independent judgment, following a thorough investigation," said the commission's statement. | |
| "Extraneous considerations such as political or public opinion have played no part in this process, nor have they played any part in the commission's decision-making." | |
| The watchdog also warned in its findings: "Those standing for party office or, as a members of a campaign team, soliciting or handling donations, have a responsibility to ensure that they understand the requirements of the [Political Parties, Elections and Referendums] Act and the commission's published guidance." | |
| The donation from Mr Green broke electoral law because he is not a UK voter. |