Hodgson admits pledge cards were electioneering

Asked a direct question if the pledge card was electioneering, Pete Hodgson replied “yes”.

I hope he was as candid to the Auditor-General when he was trying to argue why Labour should not pay it back..

Hodgson argues that the definition of electioneering for parliamentary purposes has always been very narrow. Now that may or may not be the case, but the Electoral Act definition is very broad for election activities, being “Encourages or persuades or appears to encourage or persuade voters to vote for the party”.

Hodgson has just effectively admitted that Labour over-spent as if the pledge card was “electioneering” it certainly qualifies as an “election activity” and hence an “election expense”. Hence Hodgson agrees Labour over-spent and committed a corrupt practice.