Pages 22-23 of the Little Book:
Q. Why is it possible for British political parties to accept unlimited amounts of money from donors?
Q. Why is there no requirement for donors to be registered to vote in the UK? And why can companies making donations be owned by people who are not registered in the UK?
Q. And why has Labour gone back on a pledge to tighten protections around foreign interference in UK democracy?
In its manifesto, Labour committed to “protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties.” There is very little evidence of action.
We have been here before. In 2006, Labour ordered a review of political party financing and donations. The report was astute and far-sighted, with important recommendations. It was swiftly kicked into the long grass, never to be seen again. The Conservatives went even further (in the opposite direction) by loosening regulations and neutering The Electoral Commission.
Now more than ever we need to protect our democracy from outside interference and malevolent players. If ever there was a reason to write to your MP this is it.