Archive: Party Political Funding

Comment: Taxpayer funding of political parties would damage our democracy

Robert Oxley is campaign manager for the TaxPayers' Alliance.

Taxpayers got a terrible deal from bailing out the banks and they would get another bad one for bailing out politicians.

Comment: Osborne's Big Fat Gypsy Budget

Comment: A 50p top tax rate just doesn't make any sense

TaxPayers' Alliance: Still more tax cuts needed

Labour's biggest private donor revealed as - Alastair Campbell

Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell donated £10,000 to the Labour party last year.

Clegg: Party funding must face reform

Nick Clegg will be keen to show progress in his portfolio of political reform

Nick Clegg is to launch his campaign for reform of how political parties are funded, in an address to the committee on standards in public life.

Treasurer troubles dog main parties

Tory and Labor parties face very different financial headaches

Embarrassing headlines appear to have prompted the resignation of the Conservative party's next treasurer, as Labour treasurer candidate John Prescott warns his party is "on the verge of bankruptcy".

Politicians reassess party funding problem

BBC denies misbalanced reporting over Taliban 'retreat' jibe

Jack Straw and Francis Maude are among the politicians appearing before a hearing on party political funding later.

Tories far outstrip rivals on funding

The Conservatives have raised by far the most money this year

The Conservatives have received well over half of all party donations this year and far more than Labour and the Liberal Democrats combined.

BNP accounts to be investigated

The BNP accounts for 2008 are being investigated by the watchdog

The Electoral Commission is launching an investigation into the British National party (BNP) accounts.

Labour tries to limit political damage as BA strike nears

The strike could cripple BA and raises difficult questions about Labour funding

Labour was frantically trying to limit the political damage from its association with the Unite union as the British Airways strike neared this morning.

Labour peer abandons non-dom status

Labour's Lord Paul follows Lord Ashcroft announcement

The row over Tory donor Michael Ashcroft's tax status has prompted Labour's longstanding party donor Swraj Paul to announce his decision to end his 'non-dom' status.

Ashcroft row forces Hague on to defensive

Harriet Harman raised Lord Ashcroft relentlessly during PMQs against William Hague

William Hague struggled to brush off repeated attacks from Harriet Harman about Tory donor Michael Ashcroft's tax status in a rowdy PMQs today.

Parties rapped for late donation declaration

More than loose change: Total donations hit £17.1 million

The Electoral Commission has criticised political parties for declaring their donations late.

Labour drawn into regional Cabinets row

Harriet Harman wrote to south-western party officials ahead of Cabinet trip

Labour ministers have been accused of using regional Cabinet meetings to help the party in key marginal seats.

BNP appeals for cash to fight EHRC

Nick Griffin will face Jack Straw on the BBC's Question Time panel show in October.

BNP leader Nick Griffin is reported to have written to party activists appealing for money to save the party from financial ruin.

BNP to be fined for donations

The BNP failed to send in returns for its donations

The British National party (BNP) will be issued with a fine for failing to issue a return to the Electoral Commission concerning its donations.

Lib Dems forfeit donation

Susan Kramer is MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston

Richmond MP Susan Kramer has been embarrassed after her local party were forced to return four donations made to the Liberal Democrats by her son.

Straw placates "striking" tax exile rebels

Jack Straw explained away tax exiles U-turn

MPs voted to ban tax exiles like Lord Ashcroft from making large donations to political parties last like, after a U-turn from Jack Straw.

Govt U-turns on tax exile donations

The government has performed a spectacular U-turn on the law concerning party donations from tax exiles, losing cross-party consensus as a result.

Gift aid 'could help widen party donations'

Small donations to political parties should be given tax exemption through gift aid, a Labour backbencher has claimed.

Rebels seek tax exiles showdown

Labour backbenchers want tax exiles barred from making political donations

Gordon Brown's authority faces another test as Labour backbenchers square up over an amendment barring tax exiles from being party donors.

Audio: Martin Linton on party funding

Martin Linton argues the case for lots of smaller donations for party funding - and how this can be encouraged.

Lords defeat govt over overseas donors

Labour and Lib Dem peers have inflicted a blow against the government after they passed an amendment to the political parties and elections bill barring tax exiles from donating to political parties.

Questions raised over BNP donation

Questions are being raised about the British National party (BNP) after a mysterious £5,000 donation was not declared by the leadership.

Tories get double Labour's donations

Donations: Tories receive double Labour's amount

The Conservatives received twice as much money in donations as Labour did in the last three months of 2008.

Union wants political probe over short-selling

Donors to Britain's political parties should be scrutinised more closely, a union leader says, after a major Tory party donor was linked to short-selling shares in Bradford and Bingley (B&B).