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Specification:
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AQA Component 1, Section 3.1.2.3: Political Parties: issues and debates around party funding
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Edexcel Component 1, Section 2.1: Political Parties: How parties are currently funded, debates on the consequences of the current funding system
Background: what you need to know
This article discusses the challenges faced by the Electoral Commission, the body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. It highlights the issue of donations to UK political parties made by foreign-owned companies. A recent example is the December 2024 report that Elon Musk, owner of X and Tesla and a US citizen, was considering making a large donation to Reform UK. This feeds into a wider debate about the morality of party funding in a representative democracy.
Click to read the article below and then answer the questions:
Elections watchdog warns UK rules are ‘out of date’ and ‘inconsistent’
The story about Elon Musk and Reform UK is covered in more detail here:
Nick Candy vows to help Reform disrupt British politics ‘like we have never seen’
For other relevant angles, see here: Frank Hester gave Tories extra £5mn before election and here: Labour donor expects honour after backing party, wife claims
Question in the style of AQA Politics Paper 1
Question in the style of Edexcel Politics Paper 1
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Evaluate the view that current arrangements for financing political parties work against the best interests of democracy in the UK. You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way. [30 marks]
TIP: An alternative to the current arrangements might be some form of state funding for political parties. The main advantage of this would be greater transparency, as it would counter the possibly illegitimate influence wielded by unaccountable private donors. However, there would be problems in deciding the appropriate level of funding for individual parties, and taxpayers might resent an additional claim on their already stretched resources.
Graham Goodlad, Portsmouth High School
