SMALLER parties say unconventional campaign financing is going some way to bridging the gap to their considerably more wealthy opponents.

Sussex candidates have raised thousands of pounds in small donations of as little as £5 using crowdfunders.

Specially selected candidates in the county have also benefited from the most successful crowdfunding campaign ever – led by Sussex-raised campaigner Gina Miller.

Green co-leader Caroline Lucas said crowdfunding had transformed how smaller parties spread their message to voters.

The current campaign has again highlighted the huge gulf between party finances – in one week the Conservatives received ten times the donations of Labour and five times what their five major rival parties combined received.

Campaign spending has also been under the microscope with up to 30 Conservative MPs and their campaign team members under threat of prosecution as the election campaign was launched in April.

All have been cleared except for Tory candidate for South Thanet Craig Mackinlay, his election agent Nathan Gray and party organiser Marion Little who have now been charged by the CPS.

The need for crowdfunders has been even more urgent in a snap election just two years after an election sapped party funds.

Among the successful crowdfunders is Lib Dem Stephen Lloyd in Eastbourne who raised more than £20,000 for his re-election bid in just a fortnight.

He told The Argus the funding was special to him because voters had given what they could from limited means.

Labour’s Peter Kyle, who raised more than £4,000 from almost 80 donors, Lib Dem Kelly-Marie Blundell and Green Caroline Lucas, who has raised almost £10,000, have also benefited from national crowdfunders set up by organisations.

More United raised £230,000 which it is using to back candidates it judges to represent its five core values of “opportunity, tolerance, democracy, openness and protecting the environment”.

Best for Britain, led by Article 50 court case campaigner Gina Miller, raised a record £413,000 to be used for selected champions, included the aforementioned three and Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who demonstrated ability to “put principle first and speak up for what is best for Britain in the next Parliament”.

Ms Lucas said: “It makes a huge difference, especially for small parties like us. In this campaign people gave the national Green Party £210,000 through crowdfunding and it has transformed how we can reach out to people and get across our message.

“Locally, crowdfunding has helped fund leaflets and social media content. It’s essential for a small party with big messages and a big commitment to communicating with as many residents as possible. Not everyone is able to knock on doors or attend rallies and donating is a great way for people to support a party or candidate in a really practical way.

“Of course, political parties shouldn’t need to rely on the generosity of the public to be able to fund an election campaign and we know our broken system for political funding means rich individuals or companies having an undue influence on the political process.”

Ms Blundell said: “As a fundraising and marketing consultant, I’m very positive about crowdfunding. It gives people the opportunity to support the campaigns they want to through whatever they can afford. It also means that parties like the Liberal Democrats, who do not have banker or union backing, can reach out to the people and gain support to win elections.”

Electoral Commission rules require candidates to collect enough information from donors to be able to check they are allowed to accept their cash. If a donation is later discovered to not come from a permissible source, it must be returned within 30 days.”