Politial partys- party funding Flashcards
What are the key donations for the conservative party?
Donations and wealthy buisnesses- 58.9%
State funding-15.3%
Commercial conference and investment- 11%
Other and notion income-9.6%
Membership fees- 3.4
Fundrasing- 1.8
What are the key donations for the labour party?
Donations- 30.1%
Membership fees- 13.6%
affiliation-21%
Commercial conference and investment- 14.1%
other and notion interest-10.8%
Fundraising- 3.7%
state funding- 1.6%
Why have their been recent reforms for party funding?
Unfair for smaller party and can be a way to buy political influence e.g. Bernie ecclestone
In 2015 Conservatives got £33,166,879 and 2006 donation
Labour- 21,530,983 and 1128 compared to geen who only got £428,501 and 51
and formula one
Has labours £3 scheme helped funding?
yes
How did ed Milibands change to the affiliation scheme affect the trade unions affiliate scheme?
Before change affiliated members could opt out of using their fees to support labour
Now it says that union members should opt-in and approve the use of fees to support Labour, giving them 5 yrs to opt in
Due to the trade union act that introduced a double opt in that means members will have to approve of use of fees to support labour and have to opt-in to political fund
Losing many of union members if they fail to opt-in which can be disastrous and have less considerable funding
What did the Political party and referendums act’s 2000 do?
Created the electoral commissions, monitors donations, places limits on campaign spending and means parties must declare all donations over £5000 to party hq and £1000 to local party organisations to electoral commissions
How was the political parties election and referendum act in 2000 changed by the one in 2009
Changes as it raised the limit of declared donations tp £7500 to hq and £1500 to local party groups, giving electoral commissions powers to investigate breaches of law and impose fines and finally all donations over £7500 must include documentation providing the origin of the money and UK residency
What is short money?
A way of state funding
-An annual payment made to opposition parties (qualify for this if you have 2 seats in parliament or 150,000 votes in previous GE
What is Cranborne money?
A way of state funding
-An annual payment to the two main opposition parties in the lords (Labour peers allocated £577,871) (Lib dem peers allocated £259,357)
What’s a public policy grant?
parties must have at least 2 MPs, 1st mill is distributed equally amongst the eligible parties
The second mill is divided based on proportion of registered electorate where the party contests elections
Arguments for state funding?
-If parties weren’t state funded they would be funded by special interest groups who would dictate everything
-allow politicians to represent constituents
-parties especially minority party’s get more equality
Arguments against state funding?
-why should taxpayers pay for a party they don’t support
-politicians become isolated
-Acceptance parties will always be unequal even if finances tinkered with
-positive that interest groups are at the heart of gov
Sources of party income- Green?
Membership 29%
Donations and legacies- 58%
Fundraising- 5%
Commercial 7%
State funding 1%
Sources of party income- Lib Dems?
Donations- 44.3%
Other- 16.3%
Commercial conference and investment- 12.9%
State funding- 7.1%
Fundraising- 2.9
Party funding controversy’s-
1997- Blairs govt- ban on tobacco advertising formula 1
-Bernie ecclestone a supreme of formula 1 made a secret 1 mill donation when labour were legislating against the ban on tobacco advertising in sport
-However when legislation passed fomrmula 1 was exempt from the ban
-Damaged credibility of Tony Blair as he was in his early premiership when he had campaigning against ‘tory sleeze’ in 1997 election
Party funding- 1998 Lobby gate Derek Draper?
Derek Draper was working as a director at EPC market access.
Draper was caught on tape boasting to Greg Pais an undercover reporter from the observer posing as a buisness man about how he could sell access to govt ministers and creating tax breaker for client
-Draper denied allegations and tried to blame observer, observer said that story was taken out of proportion
-Draper sacked from daily express and shunned by labour
Party funding- 2006 and 2007 cash for honours- Lord levy and blair?
Several men nominated for life peerage by P.M. Tony Blair, later rejected by the HoL appointment commisions
they later reveled that large amounts of money loned to governing labour party at suggestion of labours funds to Lord Levy
Lord Levy then arrested but relesed on bails
Labour has to repay loand and where in difficultys
In 20th july 2007 no charges where made due to no evidance
Party funding scandals- 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal?
Expenses made by mps in HoC and HoL, misuse of allowances arousing anger in the people of the UK
-This caused many sackings and deselections
Apology’s and imprisonment
Blair’s first PM to be questioned
Party funding scandal- 2015 cash for access Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind?
Both MPs accused of making potential breaches of parliamentary code of conduct
both foreign secratary accused to use position of behalf of the Chinese company in return of payment, undercover reporter said 3/7 of principles breached
Party funding scandal- Cash for access, Jack Straw?
Consultancy within Chinese business in office, breached rules that parliament office is forbidden for private business
In private conversation Jack Straw suspected staff had worked on outside business interest breaching conduct again
Members personally responsible
Straw claimed he operated under radar to inform EU change
Party Funding scandal- Cash for Access Malcolm Rifkind?
Submit qs on behalf of private client without revealing identity- Breached
Said he was self employed and that he no one pays him despite 67,000 salary
Party funding scandal- 2020 green still scandal and D. Cameron?
Lobbying activity on behalf of financial service company greenstill
Former p.m d. cameron, lord heywood said this occurred during 2020 pandemic
Cameron lobbied alleged chancellor Rishi Sunak to change rules to allow greenstill to join covid corporate financially faculty, govt loan scheme support business during covid
-Lord heywood found to be primitive responsible cause Lex greensill role in gov
Found that cameron hadn’t broke lobbying rules
