Almost £55,000 spent fighting general election in Horsham and Arundel and South Downs

L-R darrin Green, Morwen Millson, Martyn Davis, Roger Arthur, Rev Canon Guy Bridgewater chair of debate, Jeremy Quin, James Smith, Jim Duggan, Jim Rae. SUS-150423-160336001

According to expenses returns filed with the acting returning officer the Conservatives and UKIP were the biggest spenders and amounted for 77 per cent of the total across both areas.

UKIP’s Peter Grace, who finished second behind Tory Nick Herbert in the Arundel and South Downs poll, spent the most, with his returns totalling £7,307.37 in the long campaign, and £12,036.86 in the short campaign.

Mr Herbert, who has represented the area since 2005, spent £7,492.64 during the entire campaign.

Nick Herbert, Isobel Thurston, Christopher Wellbelove, chair Robin Hart, Shweta Kapadia and Peter Grace at Steyning Grammar School's election debate SUS-150605-155057001

Meanwhile new Conservative MP Jeremy Quin spent the most in Horsham, £2,653 in the long campaign and £9,968.63 in the short campaign. Second was UKIP’s Roger Arthur, who spent £2,143 in the long campaign and £923 in the short campaign.

Candidates are given limits for the long campaign, which started on December 19 last year, and the short campaign, which started on March 30.

After elections candidates’ agents are required to file accounts for their campaign spending with the consituency’s returning officer, who then makes them available for public inspection.

Across both areas the smallest spenders were both in Horsham. Jim Duggan from the Peace Party spent just £244, while the Green Party candidate Darrin Green’s expenses totalled £364.

Lib Dem candidates Morwen Millson and Shweta Kapadia spent £1,831.55 and £984 respectively, while Labour’s Martyn Davis and Christopher Wellbelove spent £1,088.50 and £3,134.14.

Green candidate for Arundel and South Downs Isabel Thurston spent £872.99. Jim Rae, who stood as an independent in Horsham, spent £2,695.99, while James Smith, Something New candidate for Horsham, spent £103.72 in the long campaign and £1,092 in the short campaign.

Are you surprised by any of the figures? Comment below or email the newsdesk.

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