Part 2Political donations etc and expenditure
Donations etc
I112Defence to charge of failing to return donation from impermissible donor
In section 56 of the 2000 Act (acceptance or return of donations: general), after subsection (3) there is inserted—
3A
Where a party or its treasurer is charged with an offence under subsection (3), it shall be a defence to prove that—
a
all reasonable steps were taken by or on behalf of the party to verify (or ascertain) whether the donor was a permissible donor, and
b
as a result, the treasurer believed the donor to be a permissible donor.