Price of power (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Price of power

Anne Snelgrove and Michael Wills celebrate on election night Picture Ref: 77308-175THEY say money can't buy you love but it certainly helps politicians win votes.

A grand total of £45,712.26p was spent trying to woo voters in Swindon at the last election.

In North Swindon Michael Wills spent a total of £10,550.53p more than any other candidate as he was re-elected as MP.

In South Swindon, Conservative Robert Buckland was the top spender, splashing out £9,176.63p, but the investment failed to pay off.

Labour's Anne Snelgrove won that seat after spending £8,367.55p.

But the best value was achieved by the candidate who paid the least money.

Independent Alan Hayward forked out just £25.53p and secured 193 votes, which works out at 13p per vote.

But he said he was at a big disadvantage compared to the big parties.

"I had so much election literature through my door from the Conservatives that I had more photos of Robert Buckland in my house than of my children," he said.

"What I learnt in the election was how mighty the parties are.

"But for what I spent I didn't do badly."

The candidates have all submitted their expenses to Swindon Council to be sent to the Electoral Commission.

Printing leaflets was most candidates' biggest expense.

The amount they are legally allowed to spend in total is £7,150 plus 7p for each registered elector in the constituency, which is just over £12,000 in the Swindon seats.

Michael Wills, who came nearest to that sum as he spent 54p for each vote won, said the expense is all about getting the message across to voters.

"We spent what we thought was the bare minimum to our message across," he said.

"It was considerably under the legal limit."

Michael Wills (Lab) - £10,550.53p, 19,612 votes, 54p per vote

Justin Tomlinson (Con) - £7,793.94p, 17,041 votes, 46p per vote

Robin Tingey (UKIP) - £2,770.64p, 998 votes, £2.78p per vote

Mike Evemy (Lib Dem) - £1,976, 6,831 votes, 29p per vote

Andy Newman (Socialist Alliance) - £1066.82p, 208 votes, £5.13p per vote

Ernie Reynolds (Ind) - £258, 195 votes, £1.32 per vote

Robert Buckland (Con) - £9,176.63p, 16,181 votes, 57p per vote

Anne Snelgrove (Lab) - £8,367.55p, 17, 534 votes, 48p per vote

Stephen Halden (UKIP) - £2,266.12p, 955 votes, £2.37 per vote

Sue Stebbing (Lib Dem) - £2,177.65 7322 votes, 29p per vote.

Bill Hughes (Green) - £1,104, 1,234 votes, 89p per vote

John Williams (Ind) - £356.50, 53 votes, £6.73 per vote

Alan Hayward (Ind) - £25.53, 193 votes, 13p per vote.

Isabel Field