Prime minister Boris Johnson has been accused of launching an attack on democracy after the British government announced plans to limit the powers of the election watchdog.
The move would stop the Electoral Commission from taking politicians to court over secret donations and illegal campaigning, placing new curbs on the regulator’s independence.
Several leading Conservatives have heavily criticised the watchdog in recent years, including after Vote Leave was found to have broken electoral law during the Brexit referendum. Johnson is currently under investigation by the Electoral Commission over the funding of the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat that he shares with his new wife, Carrie Symonds.
