Stopping US-style Oligarchy through Political Finance Reform

On Monday 2 June, the APPG for Fair Elections teamed up with Transparency International UK and the APPG on Anti-Corruption & Responsible Tax for a panel discussion on money in politics.

Moderated by Observer Whitehall Editor, Cat Neilan, panellists included Vice-Chair of the APPG on Fair Elections, Lisa Smart MP, the UK’s Anti-Corruption Champion, Baroness Margaret Hodge, and Director of Policy & Programmes at Transparency International UK, Duncan Hames. We were delighted to be joined by special guest Rushanara Ali MP, Minister for Democracy and Homelessness, for opening remarks, introduced by Joe Powell MP, Chair of the APPG on Anti-Corruption & Responsible Tax.

Democracy is under threat. The increasingly brazen influence of billionaires in Washington serves as a stark warning for the UK. As the Government prepares to reform political finance laws, it is vital that these changes bring dark money out of the shadows, halt foreign interference, and break big money’s grip on our politics. Only then can we begin to rebuild public trust in our democratic institutions.

The APPG for Fair Elections is proud to work alongside other parliamentary groups and campaign organisations to push for stronger rules governing political donations – as well as combatting disinformation in election campaigns and fighting for a fair, proportional voting system, starting with a National Commission for Electoral Reform. Our Vice Chair, Lisa Smart, made the case for fundamental political reform to shut dark money out of politics and give everyone a vote that counts.