Party funding scandals are painting UK politicians in a bad light
Election day, May 7, will be particularly important for the future of Britain – and for Europe.
A referendum on a possible ‘Brexit’ is sure to follow to any Tory win. Many are also suggesting that smaller parties may receive a greater share of the vote this time out, with columnists variously tipping the Greens, the SNP and UKIP for a breakthrough.
Though none of these three – or the Liberal Democrats for that matter – will get close to winning outright, if negotiations are needed to form another coalition, their influence may become disproportionate to their share of the vote.
Both governing parties often seem to reward donors with honours and titles once in office.
Influence is certainly a hot topic at the moment, especially if we look at party funding in the UK. There has been a steady stream of stories which have painted politicians in a bad light – and both governing parties often seem to reward donors with honours and titles once in office.
This week’s revelations from the HSBC scandal has reignited the issue. Lord Stanley Fink, a former Conservative treasurer who has given £3 million to the party, is among previous party donors who seem to have ‘benefitted’ from the bank’s advice.
Former trade minister Stephen Green is also causing David Cameron some problems. Labour’s Ed Miliband is doing the best he can to link PM to the scandal – he called the Tory leader a “dodgy prime minister” this week. But Labour’s main source of funding, the unions also leaves the party open to criticism – it has done for years.
Former Tory chancellor Ken Clarke will suggest in The Observer today that it’s time for a move to a more ‘defensible’ system amid calls for a shift to state funding. Hopefully whoever wins will look to resolve an issue that’s ran for years and only damaged the general public’s perceptions of politics.
@urlgoeshere
An edited version of this column was published in the Buenos Aires Herald, on Sunday, February 15, 2015 as part of the ‘Perceptions’ series.
Link: http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/182059/under-the-influence.