The Electoral Commission's report into Vote Leave is HERE. I see that Matthew Elliot, the CEO of Vote Leave, is on TV saying the whole thing is politically motivated but looking through the report and having listened to the earlier evidence from the whistle blower Christopher Wylie, it's blindingly obvious that they broke the rules. Note the EC told Vote Leave in November 2017 that they were to be investigated and were asked to provide information. They dragged their feet until March and acted in an incredibly high handed attitude and they then gave an account that turned out to be untrue. The key sentence is highlighted below in civil servant speak (paragraph 4.10):
"In May 2016 Vote Leave’s Legal Director drew up a constitution for BeLeave. According to Mr Grimes, this was because he asked Vote Leave’s Head of Outreach about opening a bank account for BeLeave so that it could receive funds from prospective donors. She advised him to get a constitution, and according to Mr Grimes Vote Leave gave him a blank template he could use. Vote Leave also gave us this explanation. These accounts are not consistent with the email chain between Mr Grimes and Vote Leave, however. This shows Vote Leave providing him with a complete draft, and advising on the purpose and dissolution clauses to allow BeLeave to continue its activities after the referendum. It is clear from the evidence that the catalyst for the creation of the constitution was the fact that Vote Leave had found a potential donor for BeLeave. Discussions with the donor took place, but in the event no donation was made".
So we had an organisation that lied (their explanation was "not consistent" with the truth) to investigators. Are we surprised? No. Vote leave was built on lies, staffed by liars who bought and sold lies and knew nothing else but lies. They thought they could lie their way out of the EC investigation but they could not. And a day of reckoning will come on Brexit when all the other lies will be seen for what they are.
