Political Parties: Finance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government response to the Rycroft review, whether political donations from charities and unincorporated associations which are controlled by overseas bodies will be permissible.
Answered by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Political donations may only be accepted from permissible sources under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. For an unincorporated association to be a permissible donor, it must meet the relevant statutory requirements, including having its main office in the UK and carrying out business or other activities in the UK. Charities registered in the UK are prohibited from making political donations to political parties.
The Representation of the People Bill will further strengthen these safeguards. Unincorporated associations making significant political contributions will be required to confirm that funds used for those contributions come from permissible sources, and will be subject to stronger registration and transparency requirements with the Electoral Commission. The Bill will also introduce a 'Know Your Donor' scheme, requiring recipients of donations over £11,180 to consider the risk that donations are from illegitimate sources.
These reforms are designed to strengthen protections against foreign interference and ensure greater transparency over the funding of UK politics. Where overseas funds are involved, the relevant statutory permissibility and transparency requirements must be complied with.
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