Vote Leave fined £40,000 for unlawful campaigning
Previously, Leave.EU was fined £50,000 for sending spam text messages. Now comes news of a £40,000 fine for Vote Leave, again for breaking the law over sending text messages:
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Vote Leave Limited £40,000 for sending out thousands of unsolicited text messages in the run up to the 2016 EU referendum.
An ICO investigation found that Vote Leave sent 196,154 text messages promoting the aims of the Leave campaign with the majority containing a link to its website.
The investigation also found that Vote Leave was unable to provide evidence that the people who received the messages had given their consent; a key requirement of electronic marketing law. [ICO]
Who is paying the fines for leaves over spending?
Vote Leave will no doubt consider the fine money well spent. What is needed is rapid, adequate policing of e-campaigning during the campaigns.