Michael Meacher MP

The Committee on Standards in Public Life at its meeting on Thursday is considering accepting the Tory proposal to cap political donations within a range between £50,000 and £10,000.   This is patently a device designed to hurt Labour disproportionately by putting a low limit on donations from the major unions.   Research shows that whilst under the present uncapped arrangements the Tories have had a 3:2 funding advantage over Labour, a £50,000  would stretch  this almost to a 4:1 advantage, greater even than the 3:1 advantage they would secure from a £10,000 cap.   That explains why the Tories carefully picked on £50,000, just as maximum differential advantage also explains why the Tories are now pushing through the reduction in the number of constituencies from 650 to 600, as opposed to a cut of either 25 or 100.   This is political expediency dressed up as somehow a fairer system.   But there’s a lot more to these proposals than meets the eye. (more…)