British politics is being polluted by big money.
Scandal after scandal reveals an ever-growing arms race when it comes to party funding, with voters often coming second to big donors and spending rules sidestepped. Left to themselves the big parties have failed to find a solution.
A fifth of all major political donations in the two decades between 2001 and 2021 came from just 10 men.
Our politicians urgently need to clean up the way parties raise and spend money.
Good democracy always has a price tag. An open, clean and fair model of funding the parties would give taxpayers far better value for money. It would ensure our politicians don’t have to dance to the tune of trusts, union bosses or City interests.
All the parties have been tainted by party funding. It’s time for action.
We urgently need to tackle big money in politics – or else the party funding scandals will just keep coming.
Counting the cost of an unfair electoral system