Political parties
Features of political parties
Parties are associations of people who hold similar political views
and wish to promote those views
Parties eek to gain government at local, regional, and national
levels. The search for power distinguishes parties from other
associations.
Most parties have some kind of formal organisation, normally a
hierarchy including leaders, activists, and followers.
Most parties have a system of membership
Functions of political parties
Improve society
Select suitable candidates for office at all levels – local, regional,
and national
Identify and train political leaders, again at local, regional, and
national levels
Educate the public about important political issues
Provide organised opportunities for people to participate in politics
When not a government, call the existing government to account
Political parties help organise elections and to run the business of
representative bodies at local, regional and national levels
Funding of political parties
Membership subscriptions
Fundraising events
Donations from supporters
Loans for wealthy individuals
Self-financing candidates for office
There is up to £2 million per party available in grants from the
electoral commission, as well as short and Cranborne money
, Party funding was regulated in 200 by the political parties, elections,
and referendum act. This limited and regulated:
People not on the UK electoral roll could no longer make donations
(thus reducing foreign influence)
Limits were placed om how much could be spent on parliamentary
elections
Donations over £500 had to be declared
Donation over £7500 were places on an electoral register
The political parties and election act 2009 – introduced after a wake
of MP’s expenses scandals. The act gave the electoral commission the
power to investigate and impose fines, restricted donations from non-UK
residents and imposes tighter regulations in the run up to elections
Party funding for Q2 of 2024 (electoral commission)
Party Total reported Total excepted
Labour £28,775,364 £28,543,800
Conservatives £16,356,594 £16,139,389
Lib Dems £5,944,933 £5,766,4005
Reform £2,638,360 £2,582,360
Green £296,706 £292,606
Labour received £2.5 million from Lord David Sainsbury
Labour received £4 million form Quadrature a hedge fund
Party funding controversies
Funding by large donors represents a form of hidden, and
unaccountable form of political influence. Partys are not allowed to
change specific legislation as a direct influence of donations, but
donors must expect some sort of political return. E.g. trade unions
and labour, and business and conservatives
Aspects of funding can verge on being corrupt. If not legally,
morally. Some donors may expect honours from party leaders, such
as peerage or knighthood. This is sometimes know as cash for
honours.
The steady decline of party membership, has meant that parties are
even more reliant upon donors, which further open up the
possibilities of corruption and purchasing political influence
Between 2015 and 2017 the conservatives received 11.3 million
from prominent figures and companies in the financial sector. As
well £3.6 million from property companies
Labour received 1.5 million from unison during the 2024 election.
Trade union donations to labour have been criticised on the grounds
that members of unions are not given a clear enough choice as to
whether their subscriptions should be spent on party funding. It is
Features of political parties
Parties are associations of people who hold similar political views
and wish to promote those views
Parties eek to gain government at local, regional, and national
levels. The search for power distinguishes parties from other
associations.
Most parties have some kind of formal organisation, normally a
hierarchy including leaders, activists, and followers.
Most parties have a system of membership
Functions of political parties
Improve society
Select suitable candidates for office at all levels – local, regional,
and national
Identify and train political leaders, again at local, regional, and
national levels
Educate the public about important political issues
Provide organised opportunities for people to participate in politics
When not a government, call the existing government to account
Political parties help organise elections and to run the business of
representative bodies at local, regional and national levels
Funding of political parties
Membership subscriptions
Fundraising events
Donations from supporters
Loans for wealthy individuals
Self-financing candidates for office
There is up to £2 million per party available in grants from the
electoral commission, as well as short and Cranborne money
, Party funding was regulated in 200 by the political parties, elections,
and referendum act. This limited and regulated:
People not on the UK electoral roll could no longer make donations
(thus reducing foreign influence)
Limits were placed om how much could be spent on parliamentary
elections
Donations over £500 had to be declared
Donation over £7500 were places on an electoral register
The political parties and election act 2009 – introduced after a wake
of MP’s expenses scandals. The act gave the electoral commission the
power to investigate and impose fines, restricted donations from non-UK
residents and imposes tighter regulations in the run up to elections
Party funding for Q2 of 2024 (electoral commission)
Party Total reported Total excepted
Labour £28,775,364 £28,543,800
Conservatives £16,356,594 £16,139,389
Lib Dems £5,944,933 £5,766,4005
Reform £2,638,360 £2,582,360
Green £296,706 £292,606
Labour received £2.5 million from Lord David Sainsbury
Labour received £4 million form Quadrature a hedge fund
Party funding controversies
Funding by large donors represents a form of hidden, and
unaccountable form of political influence. Partys are not allowed to
change specific legislation as a direct influence of donations, but
donors must expect some sort of political return. E.g. trade unions
and labour, and business and conservatives
Aspects of funding can verge on being corrupt. If not legally,
morally. Some donors may expect honours from party leaders, such
as peerage or knighthood. This is sometimes know as cash for
honours.
The steady decline of party membership, has meant that parties are
even more reliant upon donors, which further open up the
possibilities of corruption and purchasing political influence
Between 2015 and 2017 the conservatives received 11.3 million
from prominent figures and companies in the financial sector. As
well £3.6 million from property companies
Labour received 1.5 million from unison during the 2024 election.
Trade union donations to labour have been criticised on the grounds
that members of unions are not given a clear enough choice as to
whether their subscriptions should be spent on party funding. It is
