Parties

Question 1

Corruption in party funding- Conservatives donations.

Answer 1

2023 Conservatives received £44.5 million from funding, including £20 million from 2 sources.
Concerns of Russian influence: £2m of donations from Russia.
Scandals involving donors: Hester racial attacks on Dianne Abbott but conservatives didn’t return his donations.

Question 2

Corruption in party funding- Labour donations.

Answer 2

2023 received £21.5 million in donations, with only £6 million from Trade Unions.

Question 3

Labour sources of funding

Answer 3

2023/24 Labour received 13% of funding from the state and 10% from Trade Unions.
Membership of 370,000 in 2023/34- membership fees significant in funding.

Question 4

Limits on donations to parties

Answer 4

Electoral Commission means all large donations are transparent and come from people/businesses who are on the UK electoral roll.
Political parties are mandated to ensure that their donations come from permissible sources and to report any that don’t to the Electoral Commission.

Question 5

How does Short money encourage a two- party system?

Answer 5

Mostly available to larger parties: granted in relation to the number of seats won so only benefits parties already succeeding in the FPTP system.

Question 6

Extent of funding: Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat

Answer 6

2023 Labour: £58.6 million
2023 Conservative: £59.3 million
2023 Liberal Democrat: £8 million (next highest)

Question 7

How does Labour’s party funding reflect its support?

Answer 7

Reflects its membership of 370,000.
Funding from contributors eg. Trade Unions like UNISON and GMB which represent the people.