Isabel Edwards Buesa is a researcher and undergraduate student at the University of York. She has interned at Radix Big Tent, the York Policy Engine and the Borthwick Institute for Archives. She has particular interests in policy innovation and system change. Isabel is the author of the policy briefAddressing High Levels of Alcohol Consumption and Hospital Admissions in York (2024) and has collaborated on a Flagship Policy Proposal for Young People in the Northeast Support Strategy (2025).
The Elections Bill: Now is the moment for decisive action
In 2021, one in four voters believed donors to political parties had the most influence over public policy decisions made by the Government. Barely 1 in 20 believed it was ordinary voters. Since then, the spending cap for political parties has nearly doubled and general elections are fuelled by more anonymous and overseas donations.
One year on from the General Election – the most expensive in modern history, an unprecedented £23 million – we eagerly await the government’s Elections Bill, with expectations that we will learn much about what it will hold this week in the Government’s strategy paper. We expect the Bill to tackle difficult questions about our election finance here in the UK.
There are many reasons why we need to tackle this issue and why this Bill is such an opportunity – but here we’ll focus on four: rebuilding trust in politics, national security, a warning from the United States, and timing.
First – as the Prime Minister says in the first sentence of his Ministerial Code:“Restoring trust in politics is the great test of our era.”Labour’s manifesto promised to restore public service to Westminster, uphold democracy, and strengthen rules around donations to political parties. Delivering on this commitment is crucial; when mega-donations dominate public policy decisions while ordinary voters feel voiceless, trust in the entire system collapses, contributing to the 2024 GE having the second lowest voter turnout since 1918, with only 59.9%. We can fix this with common-sense reforms that put democracy back in the hands of the people. Voters can see that wealthy interests have outsized influence while their own voices go unheard – and they’re absolutely right to question this. Currently, 81% of UK millionaires believe extreme wealth buys political influence.
Second, British democracy faces real threats from hostile foreign actors seeking to influence our politics through dark money. Foreign adversaries are actively targeting democratic institutions worldwide, and the UK is no exception. In an era of heightened geopolitical tension, our weak political donation rules create dangerous vulnerabilities. When almost £1 in every £10 of political donations comes from unknown sources, we’re essentially operating blind to potential foreign manipulation. Protecting our democracy isn’t optional – it’s essential national security. Foreign influence doesn’t just come through traditional espionage, the use of shell companies, unincorporated associations, and anonymous cryptocurrency donations all present huge security risks.
Third, the United States serves as a warning to the dangers of oligarchic democracy. With unlimited corporate spending, super PACs and billionaire oligarchs like Elon Musk essentially buying government roles, American democracy has become a playground for the ultra-wealthy, at the expense of democratic integrity. Despite our close alliance, the British public has always been horrified by this system where money talks louder than voters. We must not let Britain follow this path. If we don’t act now, we risk opening a Pandora’s box on political donations, with parties chasing major donors, rather than listening to the concerns of the British public. Stronger rules are our insurance policy against that future.
Fourth, timing. The moment for change is now. Not only are our political parties in a permanent campaign and already planning for the future, but as we get closer to an election, another Bill on this topic is also unlikely. New threats, from crypto-based donations to AI-driven disinformation, are already here. The UK is urgently looking to ramp up its traditional defence capabilities in the coming years – why aren’t we strengthening the defence of our cornerstone values: our elections and democratic processes?
Regarding the major changes that we need, the UK Anti-Corruption Coalitionwrote an open letterto Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali MP on 3rd July advocating for comprehensive reforms addressing current loopholes in political finance laws.
The Bill represents an important opportunity to strengthen democracy in the UK, restore trust in our politics, and secure the integrity of UK elections in an increasingly volatile world. Our elections are left dangerously exposed to foreign interference and the influence of mega-donations, raising serious questions about the power of money in British politics at a time when public trust in democratic institutions is already at an all-time low. Now is the decisive moment for action to protect our democracy.
