On June 2, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fair Elections held a joint event with Transparency International UK and the APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax. The message was clear: it’s time for anonymous billionaires and oligarchs to stop buying up politics.
Britain is long overdue for campaign finance reform:
- In 2023, the UK reached its lowest-ever score on Transparency International’s Global Corruption Perceptions Index. In 2024, it retained the same ranking.
- Since 2001, at least £115m in political donations came from unknown or questionable sources – equivalent to £1 in every £10 reported up until mid 2024.
- Of the £85m in reported private donations in 2023 alone, two-thirds came from just 19 mega-donors giving over a million pounds each.
Lisa Smart MP represented the APPG for Fair Elections – now officially the largest such group in Parliament – and reiterated its recommendation to close three glaring loopholes in our campaign finance system, vehicles that can let undisclosed funds into our politics:
- Unincorporated Associations (UAs) – vaguely defined members’ groups with extremely limited disclosure requirements.
- Proxy Donors – permissible sources who can receive funds from non-permissible donors and act as a ‘gateway’ to donate.
- Shell companies – corporations set up for the express purpose of funnelling money into our political system.
Smart also rightly called for strengthening the Electoral Commission and restoring its independence, something that Open Britain and our partners at Fair Vote UK fought against when the Conservatives’ Elections Act stripped our elections watchdog of crucial powers.
Finally, panellists agreed: it’s time for a cap on political donations. Our elections are ultimately about the voters – and ordinary people’s voices can’t be drowned out by bottomless donations from the super rich. A review should be carried out to determine where the cap is set.
| Help Us Finish the Job Money in politics is just one of the crises undermining our democracy. The APPG for Fair Elections is fighting for comprehensive reform – tackling not just dark money, but our outdated electoral system and broken media landscape too. Real change demands a real strategy. Alongside Fair Vote UK, Open Britain is at the heart of this project – and it’s working. We’re forcing serious conversations in parliament that the government can’t ignore. Now we need to expand this fight beyond Westminster – we need your help to build a loud public movement for fair elections, honest media, and a democracy where power lies with the people, not the privileged few. We’re closer than ever to real reform. But we’re a small team, and we can’t do it alone. If you believe in democracy that works for everyone, not just the rich and powerful, stand with us. |
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