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The Vote Leave campaign group has lost its bid to bring a High Court challenge against the Electoral Commission.

The group wanted to challenge the commission's decision to publish a report in July last year, following an investigation into spending by leave-supporting groups during the EU Referendum campaign.

Lawyers for Vote Leave argued there had been "reputational damage" suffered by the group's officials as a result of the report being issued.

But, following a hearing today - just hours before a vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal - Mr Justice Swift refused permission for a judicial review, saying the publication of the report was within the commission's powers.

Vote Leave paid £620,000 to Canadian online advertising firm AggregateIQ (AIQ) at the request of another leave campaigner, Darren Grimes, in the days before the historic vote in 2016.

(Image: BeLeave)

This put the campaign group over its £7 million election spending limit by almost £500,000.

The Electoral Commission originally decided to take no action but, following an investigation, concluded both Vote Leave and Mr Grimes had incorrectly reported their spending.

The commission fined Vote Leave £61,000 and Mr Grimes £20,000, and referred the matter to the Metropolitan Police.

A spokesperson for the commission said: "The courts have today defended our ability to publish investigation findings.

"Specifically the court agreed that we could publish details of our investigation into serious breaches of electoral law committed by Vote Leave during the 2016 EU referendum.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

"We very much welcome this decision and the dismissal of Vote Leave's attempted judicial review.

"The Electoral Commission is the political finance regulator.

"It is vital, not only that we have the freedom to investigate breaches, but that we operate in a transparent fashion and share the findings of our investigations publicly.

"Such political transparency underpins public confidence in the democratic process."

The case follows a High Court ruling in September last year over the Electoral Commission's initial conclusion that there were "no reasonable grounds to suspect" any incorrect reporting of campaign spending or donations by Vote Leave.

After a challenge by the Good Law Project (GLP), two judges ruled the commission had "misinterpreted" the definition of referendum expenses when reaching that conclusion.