Key issues
Donations from individuals - how much can you give?
At the moment you can give as much as you want. But there are some key underlying principles: transparency and openness.
Donations from organisations - how much can an organisation give?
Companies and trade unions active and registered in the UK can donate money to political parties but how much can they give?
Current expenditure limits - how much can political parties spend to get your vote?
According to Electoral Commission figures, at the last General Election the three main parties taken together spent in total over £15 million on advertising, over £8 million on unsolicited material sent to electors, over £3 million on market research/canvassing, and over £4 million on rallies and other events.
Existing state funding - what political parties are already entitled to
Some people are opposed to state funding of political parties. They do not wish to see 'their' money apparently benefiting parties they disagree with. Others have said that competition for funding is healthy for democracy, arguing that parties should not depend on money from the state.
Transparent and open funding - should there be any extra state funding?
Whatever changes are made the resulting system has to be transparent, auditable, and well-regulated.
Page last updated: 31 Jul 2006