Labour spent thousands on social media advertising to help elect new Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner

Kim McGuinness at Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre, in Silksworth, Sunderland, after her election victory earlier this year. | JPIMedia Resell

New figures reveal that the Labour Party spent thousands of pounds on social media advertising to help Kim McGuinness be elected as Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner.

The statistics, unearthed by our parent company’s JPIMedia Data team, indicate that the party spent £8,463 on 21 adverts with Facebook and sister Instagram.

New guidelines introduced by the twin platforms last year reveal who places and pays for adverts promoting political or social issues.

Labour’s spending on behalf of Ms McGuinness was the highest figure by any Police and Crime Commissioner candidate or office nationwide.

Conservative rival Robbie Moore was the only other contestant in the Northumbria election to spend money with Facebook (£464).

Ms McGuinness triumphed in July’s election by less than 6,000 votes from independent rival Georgina Hill.

A Labour North spokesperson said, “In election campaigns, as well as our incredible volunteer activists who knock on doors and deliver leaflets we also engage with voters on social media, including spend on advertising to help ensure our message gets across.”

The JPIMedia Data figures reveal that £430,000 was spent on political by a combination of local councils, councillors, MPs, MEPs, MSPs, PCCs and Mayors in the period from October 2018 to September 7 this year.

Facebook’s release of the data is part of calls for greater transparency over political advertising and its origins.

A company spokesman said: "Our industry-leading tools are making it easier to see all political ads on our platforms and archives them for seven years in Facebook's Ad Library. People are able to report concerns to us or regulators as appropriate."