Party Funding Reform

Question 1

1A: unclear who funds parties

Answer 1

Only after elections are there sources of funding revealed, not transparent or representative, rich donors, such as Elon Musk’s planned £80mill donation to Reform can trade money for favourable policies, may be against public good

Question 2

1B: Political Parties, Elections, and Refenrdums Act 2000/09

Answer 2

This act ensures party funding is safeguarded and monitors spending, capping amounts allowed and ensuring transparency on those who provided funds, act was successful with CON being fined £70,000 after overspending and Labour being fined £20,000 by Electoral Commission for undeclared spending in 2015.
State funding would require tax

Question 3

2A: current system only benefits CONLAB

Answer 3

2 main parties benefit most from current system, it prevents smaller parties from challenging them so the status quo remains. Why would donors donate to parties that won’t be implement policy they want, it prevents competition.

Question 4

2B: expensive

Answer 4

State funding would require an expensive and complex framework to decide how much each party gets, currently it is decided by how many votes the party revieeves, why should a party with hardly any votes be given tax payer money? The most supported parties should naturally have most money. Also who exactly would decide this is not obvious, can’t be govt or parliament as conflict of interest, should undemocrstic ppl control something so important in success of a party

Question 5

3A: minor parties simply cannot compete with LAB or CON funding

Answer 5

2024: Labour 39mill, CON 31, Libdem 5.3, SNP 4.3, Green 2.8
How can these parties put up a fair fight, less access to professional campaigners, media attention, leaflets, staff, etc
If the smaller parties are disproportionately limited by money, isn’t the result of the election therefore partially illegitimate as it’s unfair, and reduces pluralism

Question 6

3B: party membership

Answer 6

Parties being funded by membership benefits democracy as it reinvigorates parties to change with the public
This allows a dynamism in parties where they genuinely reflect the views of their members, it keeps parties grassroot, as there is a constant threat of members leaving and losing funding.
State funding would prevent this and lead to parties dealigning with those they are meant to represent