Lord Mackinlay of Richborough
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Think Tanks: Funding
Lord Mackinlay of Richborough Excerpts(1 day, 12 hours ago)
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Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
I thank the noble Lord for his work in this space to make sure that we have faith and trust in the many democratic institutions that are part of the wider ecosystem. On the substance of his question, electoral law already covers think tanks that donate or spend during regulated election periods. Our reforms will ensure that those with a genuine UK connection can contribute to our democracy—for instance, by requiring recipients to undertake “know your donor” due diligence to guard against illegitimate foreign funding. The Government are committed to protecting our democracy from foreign actors. As I said, the Rycroft review will form a vital part of this work. I look forward to discussing this—over many hours, probably—in your Lordships House when the legislation is in front of us.
Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Con)
My Lords, I am the director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation—one of those institutions that occupies an address in Tufton Street. I can declare most absolutely that the foundation has never and will never take money from the fossil fuel industry. But if changes are afoot in this whole field—the Minister said clearly that if institutions are involved in the political field, they are already caught by regulations requiring reporting to the Electoral Commission—let us hope they apply as well to the left-wing charities that some would prefer, if they are to apply to right-wing charities that some do not like.
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
I am not sure there was a question in there, but I will take the opportunity to reassure your Lordships that, just as CC9 guidance for the Charity Commission applies to every charity, regardless of their charitable objectives, and just as the electoral law applies to every third-party campaigner, the issue is making sure that people who actively participate in our elections are duly registered as third-party campaigners.