In recent days the commission released figures on expenditure by candidates during the 2002 general election. At first glance it appears that some candidates, including me, spent more on their campaigns than they were entitled to but there is a clear explanation for this which relates directly to the findings of the High Court on 16 May 2002, the day before the election. The High Court overturned the guidelines for what could be deemed an election expense but the judgment was delivered on the eve of the election, by which time campaigns were concluding.