mahadevank1d ago
George Monbiot
Why should any political donations other than a standard annual party membership fee (say £25) be permitted? All other options allow wealthy people disproportionate political influence.
Mar 25 at 3:29pmWeb
Show threadDan Hatton1d ago

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

I sympathise with the sentiment, but: this would give a largeish party of 100000 members a budget of £2.5 million per year. Let's say in a typical year there are public elections of some variety in areas containing 10 million households. I think a political party can reasonably expect to be allowed to deliver an election-address leaflet to every household. That gives them 25p per leaflet to get them printed. I'm not convinced that's feasible.

Show threadGeorge Monbiot1d ago
The state matches the fees on a fixed multiple. Adequate funding on a level playing field.
Show threadDan Hatton1d ago

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Yep, that sounds like a decent plan.

Now what to we do about donations in kind via big media proprietors publishing partisan editorial content for free?

Show threadReg1d ago

@only_ohm

That's a more difficult problem to fix, but conveniently many of our media moguls are tax exiles so there might be options to explore.

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Show threadReg1d ago

@only_ohm

Central funding for political parties would be the alternative, altho this model is criticised as a waste of taxpayer's money by those parties and politicians that benefit disproportionately from private donations.

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Show threadIsabel Ruffell1d ago

@only_ohm @georgemonbiot.bsky.social

One issue is that membership fees can vary and that can be distorting too. Better to set a combined cap for individual contributions. The govt could fund a FREEPOST printing of a set size, as well as delivery which it currently provides. .

A lot of the money, though, goes on online ads; there is a huge regulatory hole in that space generally.

Show threadTim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPE1h ago
@iaruffell @only_ohm @georgemonbiot.bsky.social The FREEPOST is not available for most elections, only for general elections.
Show threadrich1d ago

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social But - those accepting the payments don't factor that money into their political decisions, right?

Right?
<Padmé Amidala face>

Show threadTim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPE1h ago

@rich @georgemonbiot.bsky.social Um ... how, exactly, does that work?

When I stood for the council, and donated approximately the cost of my leaflets, the money all got spent on the campaign. Rather more than £25, because the campaign for a council ward that isn't a safe seat and that you actually want to win costs more than that.

What might the effect on "[my] political decisions" of my having donated several times £25 to the party to help get me elected have been?

Show threadTim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPE1h ago
@rich @georgemonbiot.bsky.social Now that I no longer stand for a council seat and donate to others' campaigns all I expect of their "political decisions" is what any other member of the public would expect - that they sometimes, when appropriate, take account of published party policy.
Show thread(^^)1d ago
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social asked and answered.
Show threadCraig Stewart1d ago
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social not to come across as an irrecoverable cynic, but I'm pretty sure you answered your own question.
Show threadTim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPE23h ago
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social You want to ban council candidates from paying for their own leaflets?
Show threadWandering Star8h ago
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social 1) if they can ban one kind of spending they can ban another, say goodbye to homemade political signs, 2) that shifts power to parties and media, neither of whom I trust, either.