The Scandal of Political Party Donations

In England, we are fortunate to live in a so-called democracy (there could be fairer voting systems). But at least you don’t go to prison or get killed, if you vote against a government leader, or even choose to abstain or vote for the Monster Raving Loony Party. It’s something to be proud of.

Although there are concerns from many of us that the political right is making in-roads that could destroy the planet and native wildlife (by denying climate change and banning rewilding), it’s a democracy, so it’s your right to vote for such parties if you want. People died for that privilege.

But what is a scandal is that the said parties are receiving millions of donations, which will no doubt be used to whitewash any serious questions by expensive ad campaigns and media soundbites.

But political campaigns should not be about money. Many people affected (including those too poor, old or disinterested) in politics and social media, will never even see the ads that are sent out, to affect their lives, if such parties were elected.

In December 2025, a billionaire (who has lived in Thailand for 20 years) made the biggest-ever political financial donations to a party – £9 million to Reform UK. A party which Green leader Zack Polanski says is the ‘party of millionaires, funded by billionaires, who promise to be the party of the working man’.

Yet one policy is zero hour contracts (which means hard-working people won’t be able to save for rental contracts or mortgages, as they won’t have a legal contract to prove stable income).

Before this, the investor donated £1 million to Boris Johnson’s conservative party, when he was Prime Minister. Lord Sainsbury left £10 million to the Conservative Party in his Will. Do we really think this is a fair way to finance political parties?

The Unite Union donate hundreds of thousands of pounds to Labour, to ensure it follows policy. Even the Lib Dems accept huge donations from private individuals.

Of course, money is needed to run political offices and pay for deposits, when contesting elections. But there is no need for this colossal amount of money, this is like the USA, just mainly being used to fund adverts. Why else would a party needs this huge amount of cash?

One commentator on The Independent newspaper writes: ‘This kind of donation is banned in most civilised countries. And Brits wonder why their country is sliding down the toilet?’

Another writes that ‘elections shouldn’t be determined by social media spend’.

Even Elon Musk was talking about funding Reform UK, in a country that Trump has says ‘needs to be saved’. We need to be saved from him (his golf course in Scotland has already destroyed a site of special scientific interest, beautiful sand dunes that were home to endangered wildlife). And shame on the Scottish government for letting him do it.

American (Christian) writer John Fugelsang says that Trump may likely not have won the USA election, without some social media. How can we have the most powerful person on earth in office, due to a few tweets or ‘likes’ on Facebook? The world has gone mad.

And billions in donations by wealthy investors, has now skewed things that many people who vote for him, think they are doing so, at the Will of God?

Jesus was a peacefully, radically non-violent revolutionary who wasn’t American, never spoke English, who hung around lepers, hookers and crooks. He never sought tax cuts for rich Nazarenes, was anti-wealth, anti-death penalty, anti-public prayer.

He never called poor people lazy, was never even slightly anti-gay. He was a long-haired, community-organising, authority-questioning, brown-skinned, Palestinian, unarmed homeless Jew. But only if you believe what’s actually in the Bible. John Fugelsang

Some rich people no doubt still have empathy for people in poverty. But the latest donor went to one of England’s most expensive schools, and is now giving away millions to a party that would trample on the dreams of those who seek to better themselves.

This skilled Liverpool factory worker asks Nigel Farage ‘Why do you want me to lose my job?’ as he makes electric cars, which the Reform UK leader does not agree with.

What Are UK Laws for Political Donations?

Electoral Reform explains. Although many people donate a few quid here and there, a fifth of all major donations to political parties come from just 10 or so big donors. That’s worrying.

If the government wants to ensure that we, the voters, trust our democratic institutions, it needs to start with ending the reign of big donors. Gen Sandle

At present, there is no limit on what one individual can donate, only that over £11,000 or so, it has to be publicly declared.

In Denmark (one of the world’s top country in The Happiness Index, where people often trust their governments (!), political party donations work very differently.

Parties can accept private donations, but there is a yearly limit of 30,000 Euros from one donor (and limits are even lower for elections – from 3000 Euros to 10,000 Euros), with foreign donations from governments or enterprises banned.

Why are we not doing this here? Likely because companies that donated millions to Labour, later got contracts. It stinks just the same, and the system needs a complete overhaul and washing out, to make people trust politics ever again.

The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties, is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor, when corporations knock on their door. Ralph Nader (US politician)