Political Donations from Overseas 2023-07-20
2023-07-20
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The Electoral Commission publishes information about donations to ensure transparency. The commission has highlighted that the political finance system is vulnerable to unlawful influence from donations overseas and in the UK.
Whether the Committee has had recent discussions with the Electoral Commission on the transparency of political donations from overseas.
The Committee has not had a recent discussion with the commission on that issue. The commission publishes information about donations to ensure transparency, and it has powers to sanction political parties that accept impermissible foreign donations.
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Assessment & feedback
Recent discussions between the Committee and Electoral Commission
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Susan Hawley, executive director of Spotlight on Corruption, claims the UK Government's failure to take decisive action on overseas donations is concerning our allies. Elections are at risk of interference from Russia and other hostile states due to the lack of requirement for political parties to verify and disclose donation sources.
What steps is the commission taking to prevent overseas donations from hostile states that undermine electoral law? Has the commission asked the security services to undertake a review of political finance?
Speaking as a representative of the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, it would be a matter for the security services to make a full assessment of whether unlawful foreign money has been used to campaign in UK elections. However, political parties must report when they are given an unlawful donation and return it to the donor. In addition, the commission carries out checks on permissibility on a sample of donations and has the power to sanction political parties that accept impermissible foreign donations.
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Assessment & feedback
Request for security services review of political finance
Response accuracy