Call for cap on political donations to 'protect our democracy'

Ministers should legislate to cap political donations to "rebuild voter confidence" in democracy, campaigners said before the introduction of a landmark elections bill.

- Eleni Courea Political correspondent

The government is being urged to show more ambition as it prepares to publish legislation early next year that will extend the franchise to 16and 17-year-olds.

In a letter sent this week to Steve Reed, the communities secretary, and Samantha Dixon, the democracy minister, 19 civil organisations said: "A donations cap is the best way to protect our democracy and to rebuild voter confidence in the system."

Its signatories include the Electoral Reform Society, Transparency International UK, Hope Not Hate and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.

The call comes weeks after Nigel Farage's Reform UK declared it had received £9m from the Thai-based crypto investor Christopher Harborne, the largest donation made by a living person to a UK political party.

As well as reducing the voting age to 16, ministers are planning to use the elections bill to reduce loopholes in political finance.