Chair reminds Government of call to reform party funding

Graham Allen MP, Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, today reminded the Government of the report on party funding published by his Committee at the end of January, which concluded “A cross-party solution will not be easy to achieve. But public confidence in politics risks being further undermined if some future scandal intervenes before a solution is in place. The Government and political parties must seize the opportunity presented by the CSPL to find such a solution.”

Graham Allen MP said today: “My Committee highlighted the need to resolve the issue of political party funding back in January. We said then that we were concerned by the way in which confidence in politics and MPs risked being undermined by public concern about party funding. I take no pleasure in the vindication of our concern that the lack of progress on resolving the issues around party funding could mean that “some future scandal” might intervene before a solution was in place. I renew our call to all parties to get this issue back out of the box marked “too difficult” and make a serious effort to find a fair solution which is acceptable to all.” 

Background

The Political and Constitutional Reform Committee’s January Report identified the opportunity represented by the publication, on 22 November 2011, of the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) on Political Party Finance, to achieve a solution. That report called on the Government to fulfil its commitment to “pursue a detailed agreement on limiting donations and reforming party funding in order to remove big money from politics”.

The Political and Constitutional Reform Committee said that no party should be perceived as having gained disproportionately from reform in this area. It argued that a solution perceived as partisan risked undermining any positive impact on public opinion which would otherwise be achieved by resolving the issue.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Notes to editors: 1. Please note this release refers back to the report published by the Committee on January 29 2012. The report and original press notice can be found here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/news/party-political-finance-report/

Committee Membership is as follows: Mr Graham Allen (Chair) (Nottingham North), Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch), Paul Flynn (Newport West) Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East), Andrew Griffiths (Burton), Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East), Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire), Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central), Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest), Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) and Stephen Williams (Bristol West).

Specific Committee Information: pcrc@parliament.uk 020 7219 6287 Media Information: Jessica Bridges-Palmer bridgespalmerj@parliament.uk 020 7219 0724

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