Politics

UK government to study limits on domestic political mega-donors as election reform bill advances

Ministers announced a cross-government review of large domestic donations as the Commons approved the Representation of the People Bill.

Updated Sep 3, 2026 · 01:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

Communities Minister Florence Eshalomi announced a new cross-government team to examine regulations on large political donations from UK-based donors.
The announcement followed pressure from MPs, including an unvoted proposal by Labour MP Stella Creasy seeking a phased cap on domestic political gifts.
The House of Commons passed the broader Representation of the People Bill, which includes overseas donor caps and voting age reforms, sending it to the House of Lords.

Communities Minister Florence Eshalomi announced that a cross-government task and finish team will work on policies to address large domestic political donations.[BBC News]
The House of Commons passed the Representation of the People Bill at third reading by a 411-102 vote, advancing the legislation to the House of Lords.[BBC News]
Under current UK law, there are no statutory limits on the amount of money domestic donors can contribute to political parties and candidates.[BBC News]
The current reform bill already includes provisions banning cryptocurrency donations, lowering the voting age to 16, and placing a £100,000 annual limit on contributions from British citizens residing abroad.[BBC News]
An amendment proposed by Labour MP Stella Creasy to cap domestic donations at £500,000 before dropping to £100,000 was supported by over 60 MPs but not brought to a vote.[BBC News]
A Liberal Democrat proposal to create a royal commission on donation caps and campaign spending limits was rejected by the Commons in a 427-85 vote.[BBC News]

The exact scope, operational timeline, and specific policy recommendations of the newly announced task and finish team remain unconfirmed by the government.[BBC News]