Online Questions & Answers with Hayden Phillips on party funding

Financial control

Posted by Burrows on October 30th 2006

Conservative and Labour have both overspent. If they were individuals or corporations they would be bankrupt.

If there is to be public funding should there not at least be a requirement that parties live within their expanded means?

This question is now closed.

Once they have free access

Posted by Burrows on 30/10/2006 - 14:52

Once they have free access to the public purse, it is not hard to see how they will raise money to meet their financial obligations.

The point is that giving way on the principle should not be interpreted as an open ended commitment.

No decisions have yet been

Posted by Sir Hayden Phillips on 30/10/2006 - 14:31

No decisions have yet been made. However, more public funding does not seem to me to be the only or necessarily primary reason why parties should be expected generally to live within their means. Equally – like individuals or corporations – they should be able, within the law, to raise money provided they can clearly foresee how they can meet their financial obligations.