Today (26 December 2025) nineteen campaign groups including the Electoral Reform Society and Transparency International UK published a robust call for the UK government to introduce caps on political donations as part of a forthcoming Elections Bill. This is a move aimed at restoring public confidence in a democratic system perceived to be tilted towards big money interests.
In recent years political finance in the UK has seen unprecedented large contributions, including a record £9 million cryptocurrency donation to Reform. Such sums can dwarf grassroots fundraising and give disproportionate influence to wealthy individuals or opaque funding streams. These dynamics distort policy priorities, favouring donor interests over public needs, especially on issues like economic inequality, public services, housing and climate action, where deep‑pocketed benefactors often have entrenched stances.
In a democracy politicians should be accountable to voters, not ultra-wealthy donors, whether individuals, corporations or foreign states. When political parties rely on massive contributions from a tiny slice of the population policies shift to accommodate those donors’ preferences. For example, energy policy that favours fossil fuel interests over renewables, more involvement of private health companies in the NHS, or welfare reforms that prioritise budget cuts over social support. These reflect donor priorities more than public welfare and are often completely opposed to majority public opinion. Historical resistance by Tory administrations to donation caps, including dropping previous proposals for a ceiling, has left a gap where wealthy benefactors wield undue influence.
Cryptocurrency donations such as the £9m one to Reform, often poorly regulated and potentially anonymous, make this even murkier, as they can come with less transparency than traditional funding streams.
Democratic health is inseparable from transparency and fairness in political financing. Greens advocate for strict caps on political donations across the board, preventing any individual or entity from dominating party finances. We also propose a ban on opaque funding sources, including cryptocurrencies, shell companies, and foreign money, to ensure public clarity over who’s backing political actors. Finally we support reinforcing the Independence of the Electoral Commission, with the power and resources to enforce rules, levy meaningful penalties and publish timely disclosures - even more urgent since the Conservatives gutted it and removed its independence.
These measures would help realign political incentives towards the interests of ordinary citizens, tackling long‑standing inequalities and enabling bolder action on climate, housing, health and poverty. This is the opposite of decades of Government policies that have broadly leaned toward deregulation and market logic, favouring minimal constraints on political finance under the banner of “freedom” and administrative ease The ability for parties to accept large crypto donations (such as Reform’s) overlooks how such mechanisms can subvert democratic accountability and enable hidden influence. This laissez‑faire stance reinforces a political economy where money talks louder than community voices. It is very telling that Reform, if they take power, have promised to make such donations even less transparent.
Capping political donations is about ensuring equitable participation. Trust in democratic institutions has been strained by perceptions that wealthy donors, not voters, shape outcomes. Strong, transparent donation rules not only rebuild confidence but ensure that vital public policies on climate justice, healthcare, social security and beyond reflect the needs of everyone, not just the richest few.