The rich and powerful are already trying to sway the next election – I have a plan to stop them | Stella Creasy
A bill proposing a cap on donations is up for debate this week. We must seize this chance to keep big money out of our politics Christopher Harborne gave Reform £9m in one day – more than double the amount all trade unions combined gave Labour nationally and its MPs directly for the entirety of the last general election. Once such “largesse” in our politics was rare, now it is commonplace. In…
This week, a bill proposing a limit on donations is being debated. It is crucial that we seize this opportunity to prevent wealthy individuals from influencing our politics, according to Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow.
Christopher Harborne made a significant donation of £9 million to Reform in a single day, which is more than twice the amount all trade unions collectively contributed to Labour during the last general election. This type of excessive financial support in politics was once uncommon, but it has become increasingly normal in recent years. In 2015, only 1% of donations came from individuals or companies giving £1 million or more; by 2024, that proportion had increased to one-third.
The influence of wealthy individuals and corporations on upcoming elections is evident. It is essential that Labour addresses this issue and is prepared to face the consequences if it fails to act. Prime Minister deserves recognition for acknowledging the toxicity of this situation and for garnering public support for action.
On Wednesday, measures to cap the amount of money overseas donors can contribute will be presented in Parliament as part of the Representation of the People Bill. However, concentrating on the location of the donation rather than its size fails to address the issue of wealthy individuals setting up UK shell companies or using UK addresses to continue dominating our democracy.
Several British millionaires have already been funding political entities and parties, and others are waiting in the wings. Our objective must be to ensure that no one, whether local or international, can buy Westminster.
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