Donations to political parties are something of a hot topic in the current climate, and the office space industry isn’t immune to the spotlight. The Conservative party, based in the West Midlands, is facing an inquiry from the Electoral Commission about a donation of office space that has allegedly not been declared. The office space used by the Tory party is worth several thousands and was donated by a right-wing organisation, yet allegedly hasn’t been declared.
The allegations were brought to light by John Mann, a Labour MP. He reported the alleged infraction to the commission, who monitor political spending. The office space is owned by Coleshill Campaigning Services (CCS), who has allowed the Tories to use the office space free of charge.
John Mann hopes that the inquiry will shed light on the use of funding from the Tory party. He states:
Evidence that the CCS and the West Midlands Conservatives shared an office seems to fly in the face of the recent report that these organisations operated separately. But more importantly, where is the donation for the West Midlands Conservative office space in their Electoral Commission register?
The ÂŁ80,000 per year rent on the office space was paid by IM Properties, a company owned by Robert Edmiston, who is a supporter of the Conservative party.