Straw placates “striking” tax exile rebels

By Alex Stevenson MPs voted to ban tax exiles like Lord Ashcroft from making large donations to political parties last night, after a U-turn from Jack Straw. The justice secretary averted a potential rebellion from Labour backbenchers seeking to reduce the cap for tax exiles’ donations to just £7,500 but lost cross-party support in doing […]

Govt U-turns on tax exile donations

By Ian Dunt and Alex Stevenson The government has performed a spectacular U-turn on the law concerning party donations from tax exiles, losing cross-party consensus as a result. Justice secretary Jack Straw had planned to overturn an amendment to the political parties and elections bill outlawing donations from tax exiles. But he has now performed […]

Rebels seek tax exiles showdown

By Alex Stevenson Gordon Brown’s authority faces another test as Labour backbenchers square up over an amendment barring tax exiles from being party donors. The government was defeated in the Lords last month over an amendment barring tax exiles from donating to political parties. When the bill returns to the Commons on Monday the government […]

Gift aid ‘could help widen party donations’

By Alex Stevenson Small donations to political parties should be given tax exemption through gift aid, a Labour backbencher has said. Martin Linton made the call as he prepared to push the government on another party funding issue next Monday. The Battersea MP tabled an amendment to the finance bill suggesting that tax relief should […]

Audio: Martin Linton on party funding

Listen to Martin Linton argue the case for lots of smaller donations for party funding – and how this can be encouraged:

Lords defeat govt over overseas donors

By politics.co.uk staff 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. The amendment stresses that only people resident in the UK for tax purposes can make donations to political parties. The […]

Questions raised over BNP donation

By Ian Dunt Questions are being raised about the British National party (BNP) after a mysterious £5,000 donation was not declared by the leadership. Party leader Nick Griffin then managed to get himself into more trouble while defending himself against the charges when he said he would be willing to break race laws. “As you […]

Tories get double Labour’s donations

By politics.co.uk staff The Conservatives received twice as much money in donations as Labour did in the last three months of 2008. According to figures released by the Electoral Commission the Tories received more than £5 million in the last quarter, accounting for well over half the total donations received by all parties. More than […]

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). Yesterday’s Guardian newspaper said Michael Hintze had given £665,000 to the Tories since David Cameron had become leader and that his company, CQS Management, engaged […]

Party spending plans condemned

Government plans to halt the ‘arms race’ in spending between the two main parties have been challenged by the Electoral Commission. Jack Straw, justice secretary, wants a cap on funding during election campaigns, but Peter Wardle, head of the commission says he has “grave reservations” about the government’s course of action. A Commission spokesperson said: […]