Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rushanara Ali and Phil Brickell

Monday 20th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

T5.  Transparency International recently reported that since 2010, £38.6 million of donations into UK politics have come from unincorporated associations, which are not required to report their source of income. With that in mind, will the Minister close political donation loopholes to protect our democracy from foreign influence by banning unincorporated associations and shell companies that have never turned a profit from donating to political parties?

[Rushanara Ali]

Effective regulation of political finance is crucial for maintaining trust in our electoral system and our democracy. The UK already has a strong framework that makes clear that only those with a legitimate interest in UK elections can make political donations, but the Government committed in our manifesto to strengthening the rules on donations to political parties in order to protect our democracy from foreign interference. We will bring forward proposals in due course.