Pre-candidacy Donations: Safeguards

11. What steps he is taking to implement safeguards for pre-candidacy donations.

We have introduced the Representation of the People Bill, which will close loopholes that could allow foreign money to enter UK politics and undermine trust. Alongside those measures, we are considering the Rycroft review’s recommendations, including on candidate donations, and we will set out our full response shortly.

What if I told you, Mr Speaker, that just before the general election, a soon-to-be MP had pocketed a £5 million cash gift from a crypto billionaire who lives halfway across the world, and that soon after receiving that lucrative gift, the very same politician announced a new policy of slashing taxes for the crypto industry? You might think that something concerning was going on. Does the Minister agree that no British politician should be for sale to the highest bidder, and will the Government commit to using the elections Bill to slam the door shut on secret cash gifts to senior politicians?

The Government are clear that the integrity and transparency of our political system must be protected. The rules we have in place are designed to ensure that political donations come from legitimate sources and are properly declared. However, we recognise the need to ensure that our rules remain effective and address emerging risks. We are already delivering a package of reforms through the Representation of the People Bill; we will also consider the recommendations from the Rycroft review and work with the Electoral Commission and others to ensure that the system remains resilient for the future.