Political Donations Row

Reform's Michael Tice defends massive donations amid political hypocrisy row

The £36 million gifts from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have sparked calls for a blanket cap on donations, going further than legislation aimed at restricting donations from overseas sources. Reform's leader, Michael Tice, insisted that the donations were in line with current rules and planned restrictions on donations from donors based overseas, which are set to be considered in the Lords. Tice compared the situation to Labour's funding from trade unions who make demands about employment rights regulations and public sector pay. The proposals for a cap are likely to feature heavily in the House of Lords debate on the Representation of the People Bill, which already contains measures limiting donations from abroad to £100,000 a year.