Can Funding Reform Stir the Party Animal?

The decline of political party membership has left parties increasingly reliant on the financial support of wealthy individual or institutional donors. This article argues that such dependence is bad for democracy and undermines local party activity. It looks at the growing influence of millionaire donors over the Labour and Conservative parties, and also highlights the potential for extremist parties to ‘buy into British politics’ with the aid of wealth backers. Criticising the current rules regarding party funding, the article calls for a cap on individual donations-to prevent millionaire donors buying political influence-and advocates the introduction of a system of ‘topup funding’, by which a small donation buys in matched government funds. Such a system of party funding, the article claims, would help to rejuvenate political activity and reconnect people with politics.