Replay: How is politics really funded? Meet the Leaders with Duncan Hames and Vicky Pryce

DH-MtL

Watch the Replay of our Meet the Leaders webinar with Duncan Hames and Vicky Pryce. 

Reform of our political system is one of Radix Big Tent’s core programmes, but political reform is impossible without reforming the role of money in politics. Millions of pounds donated to UK political parties and their members have come from unknown or questionable sources, including those who have been accused or found to have bought political access or involved in criminality, raising questions about who funds our politics and the due diligence undertaken by political parties on their donors. Moreover, a large portion is funnelled through opaque unincorporated associations which, despite transparency laws, hide the source of their funds from the public.

Cheques and Balances: Countering the influence of big money in UK politics

Cheques and Balances: Countering the influence of big money in UK politics provides a comprehensive analysis of political finance in the UK over the last two decades. It highlights the growing cost of politics, and an increasing dependence by some parties on a small pool of mega-rich donors. Compounded by vulnerabilities in electoral laws that allow questionable funds to enter party coffers, this combination has thrown the door wide open to cash-for-access, undue influence, and foreign interference.

Duncan Hames

Duncan Hames leads the public policy, research and advocacy teams of Transparency International UK. His work aims to advance integrity in British public life and stop the flow through the UK of dirty money arising from corruption around the world. Formerly a Member of Parliament, he attended Cabinet as the parliamentary aide to the Deputy Prime Minister. More recently, he completed a master’s degree in conflict, security and development. Duncan is currently a governor of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, a director of the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, and a trustee of an associated charitable trust.

Vicky Pryce

Vicky Pryce is the Chair of the Fellows at Radix Big Tent and a leading economist whose career includes being Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service and Chief Economist and Partner at KPMG. She is currently Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research. She is also Chair of the Economic Advisory Council for the British Chambers of Commerce and a visiting Professor at King’s College, London and Birmingham City University. In addition, she is co-founder of GoodCorporation, a company set up to advise on Corporate Social Responsibility.