Politicians urge Labour to restore Electoral Commission independence

Keir Starmer is being urged to restore independence to the Electoral Commission, with MPs and peers likely to launch a battle to amend the elections bill in the new year. In a letter to the prime minister, MPs and peers will warn the elections watchdog should not be overseen by the political parties in charge of holding to account. The government is to publish an elections bill early next year, bringing in votes for 16-year-olds and cracking down on loopholes in how political donations are made. However, it is resisting returning independence to the Electoral Commission after Boris Johnson put it under the control of ministers, who can now annually set its priorities and direction. When the Conservatives introduced the new power, the House of Lords passed a cross-party amendment led by the cross-bench peer Lord Judge and co-sponsored by the former Labour home secretary David Blunkett to overturn the change – only for it to be changed back by the Commons. Phil Brickell, the Labour MP for Bolton West and chair of the all-party group on anti-corruption, said his party was elected to restore public trust and “keeping Tory measures to neuter the elections watchdog would undermine that mission”. He added that the move would leave the UK lagging behind global standards when it comes to electoral integrity, “at a time when we need to be showing global leadership on tackling corruption”. Other MPs campaigning for Electoral Commission independence include Lisa Smart, the Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson, who said Donald Trump’s administration in the US has “shown us what a democracy under threat looks like: a shameless, corrupt politician ripping up the rules to protect himself and his interests”. Smart added: “Nigel Farage cannot wait for the chance to implement that playbook here in the UK. Friday’s sentencing of Nathan Gill, still fresh in our minds, can only be a reminder of the kind of untrammelled political interference that comes hand in hand with Reform UK. “Our democracy is not safe while the Electoral Commission is left so vulnerable. Liberal Democrats will use every tool to protect our precious democracy and the integrity of our elections.” Ellie Chowns, the Green MP for North Herefordshire, said: “Our democracy depends on institutions the public can trust and that trust is what gives elections legitimacy. Restoring the Electoral Commission’s full independence will strengthen transparency, boost public confidence and make clear that elections serve voters, not any one party’s advantage.” New polling for the campaign group Unlock Democracy shows seven in 10 voters think the Electoral Commission should “operate free from political or governmental influence”, including three in four probable Reform voters. Related: UK elections chief says children need lessons from 11 to be ready to vote at 16 In opposition, Labour strongly opposed ministers being able to direct aspects of the Electoral Commission’s work. But in September 2025, the government’s spokesperson in the Lords confirmed that Labour intends to “designate a new strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission to reflect the government’s priorities for elections and [the] Commission’s increased roles and responsibilities”. Tom Brake, the chief executive of Unlock Democracy, said: “Nothing can justify Labour’s volte-face on this – no government should be able to meddle with the elections regulator. For that to even need saying is evidence of the damage done to our democracy. The last Labour government, when they established the Electoral Commission, understood it needed to be independent. This Labour government must honour their pre-election rhetoric and restore full independence to the Electoral Commission.” The government maintains that the Electoral Commission is operationally independent.