ALMOST half of British voters would back cap on large donations to political parties, while more than four in five believe money buys influence in UK politics, new polling has found.
New polling of more than 2000 people by More in Common on behalf of anti-corruption organisation Transparency International revealed that 83% of British voters believe that wealthy doners are able to influence the government for their own personal gain.
This opinion was largely held across the political divide, with 84% of Labour voters saying this was true, while 78% of Reform voters agreed. Green voters were the most likely to back this view, with 92% agreeing, compared to around 78% of Conservative voters.
Around half of respondents (47%) also said that they would be in favour of a cap on donations to political parties, responding that they would feel more favourable towards a party that pledged to do so, with only 7% saying they would feel more negatively, while the remaining 46% said they were indifferent or did not know.
Commenting, Duncan Hames, senior director of policy at Transparency International UK said capping donations would be an "open goal" for any party.
He said: "The public have made up their minds: more than four in five say wealthy donors are buying influence over our politics, and they're not wrong.
"What this polling also shows is that capping donations isn't a gamble for any party. It's an open goal.
"More voters would favour a party that capped large donations than turn against one, whichever party they most recently supported.
"Ministers have rightly moved on foreign money and crypto, but the far bigger problem of unlimited donations from a handful of British mega-donors remains untouched. With the public firmly behind reform, there is every reason to go further.
"The Representation of the People Bill is the moment to cap all large donations, so that big money can no longer buy influence over our politics."
The Representation of the People Bill is currently working its way through parliament. The government has committed to capping donations from overseas electors and to a moratorium on cryptocurrency donations, following the Rycroft Review into foreign interference.
Under the plans, there will be a maximum cap of £100,000 on political donations made by UK citizens living abroad. It has not yet committed to a cap on domestic donations.
The review was launched after the jailing of a former Welsh Reform UK leader for taking Russian bribes.
Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed, who made the announcement in the Commons, said the conduct of Nathan Gill, who was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison for taking money to make pro-Russian statements, was a “stain” on British democracy.
In the most recent account declarations, Reform UK were the most successful in drumming support among wealthy donors, bringing in over £9 million so far this year – however the party is heavily reliant on a small number of billionaires handing over cash.
The party took a £3 million donation from crypto baron Christopher Harborne in the first quarter of the year, the latest records show.
Harborne and Farage’s relationship has been in the spotlight in recent months since it emerged that the Reform chief is under investigation for receiving £5m from the billionaire before the 2024 General Election, and failing to declare it in his register of interests.
Harborne has now donated over £20 million to Reform over the years, but he is not the only cryptocurrency magnate doing so with Hong-Kong-based crypto entrepreneur Ben Delo also donating £4m in the latest period recorded in the accounts.
Meanwhile the Tories and Labour brought in around £4m each, with smaller donations coming from a larger number of people.
The Green Party of England and Wales, who are growing their support base, brought in just £250,000.
