Political Parties: Finance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the factsheet entitled Political Donations Overview: existing rules and what is changing, how political parties should establish the audited revenues of small and micro-companies, and unlimited companies, under the new proposed corporate political donation regime.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
In terms of small, micro, and unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.
As set out in Representation of the People Bill Impact Assessment, Table 8, we estimate that around 26% - 29% of donations from companies made in the year prior to the 2024 General Election would not meet the permissibility criteria. All businesses, including small businesses, will need to meet strict new criteria in order to make political donations. Requiring donors to demonstrate a genuine UK connection is key in protecting against foreign actors from using shell companies to channel foreign or illicit money into UK politics.
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