Labour and Co-operative MP Stella Creasy has proposed a cap of £100,000 on all single donations in a calendar year to end the influence of dark money in British politics, warning that without action, the perception that political outcomes are sold to the highest bidder will overwhelm democracy. Her amendment to the representation of the people bill, returning to the Commons next Tuesday, aims to close loopholes that allow wealthy donors to evade restrictions by acquiring a UK postcode.
Scale of the problem
Creasy highlighted that the share of private political donations from individuals and companies giving £1 million or more has surged from just 1% in 2015 to 35% in 2024, according to Transparency International. This coincides with public distrust: 83% of Britons believe the wealthy are trying to buy influence, a figure cited by Creasy in her Guardian op-ed. She noted that Count Binface, a novelty candidate standing in the Clacton byelection, has become a symbol of the public's desperation for integrity, but stressed that relying on a man with a bin on his head is not a sustainable solution.
The Rycroft review and its limits
The government commissioned the Rycroft review into foreign financial influence, which recommended a £100,000 cap on donations from overseas actors and a minimum one-year UK residency exemption. However, Creasy argued that wealthy donors can easily circumvent such rules. She pointed to crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne, a Reform UK donor based in Thailand, who reportedly said “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and registered a Hampshire address. Creasy called the donor's location a red herring, insisting that no single person should wield disproportionate financial influence, regardless of passport.
International precedents
Creasy noted that many jurisdictions, including France, Italy, Australia, and even the US, limit what an individual can give annually to any cause, regardless of address. Her amendment would apply a £100,000 cap to all single donations from any individual within a calendar year, a sum she described as “huge in itself to most.” This would differentiate between a handful of actors trying to buy democracy and legitimate contributions from trade unions, cooperatives, and civil society organisations, which already operate under transparent rules.
Political context and next steps
The representation of the people bill, which includes implementing the Rycroft recommendations, is due for debate next Tuesday. Creasy urged MPs to seize the opportunity to close loopholes and restore faith in the political system. She warned that without a comprehensive cap, money will continue to flow like water, polluting the system. “Whether a million-pound individual donation comes from overseas or a UK-based billionaire, the public understand the risk remains the same: that political outcomes are being sold to the highest bidder,” she wrote. “This Tuesday, MPs can show they have both a will and a way to protect our politics from the perception as well as the reality of impropriety. That cannot be left to Count Binface.”
