Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Cunningham Excerpts

Wednesday 5th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)]

1. When he plans to launch the consultation on electoral integrity announced on 5 May 2019.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

13. When he plans to launch the consultation on electoral integrity announced on 5 May 2019.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Kevin Foster)]

The Government recently announced measures to strengthen and protect our democratic processes, including a consultation on electoral integrity. Before we launch the consultation, we will hold discussions with interested groups and explore the scope for cross-party co-operation. It will be published in due course.

[Kevin Foster]

Part of our announcement was that we will bring in a requirement for digital imprints where candidates or campaigners are involved, and some social media platforms have already implemented that. We are also looking, as part of a wider consultation, at how to have modern and up-to-date electoral rules, but it is about ensuring that we do it well rather than quickly.

[Alex Cunningham]

The problem is much more widespread. The Guardian reported that American donors have given $5.6 million to US funding bodies, which passed it to, among others, the Institute of Economic Affairs, the Adam Smith Institute and Policy Exchange. Will the consultation look specifically at how think-tanks are funded and by whom, or is the Minister worried that that is a little bit too close to home?