Unlock Democracy: Government must not be allowed to kick party finance reform in the long grass
Commenting on the announcement of the government’s draft legislative programme today, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said:
“We are alarmed at the number of issues that the government appears to have allowed to fall by the wayside.
“In last year’s Queen’s Speech, Gordon Brown announced plans to ‘bring forward proposals on the regulation of party finance and expenditure.’ These proposals still have not yet been published and the fact that a bill on the subject has not been listed in the draft programme for 2008/2009 suggests that it has been kicked in the long grass.
“Gordon Brown is fooling himself if he thinks he can get away with not cleaning up the way UK politics is funded. Without reform, another scandal will always be just around the corner. The longer the government dithers on this issue, the bigger problems it will store up for itself in the long term.
ENDS
1. Unlock Democracy, incorporating Charter 88 is the UK’s leading campaign for democracy, rights and freedoms.
2. For more information, a quote or an interview, please contact James Graham on 020 7278 4443 / 07966 237550 / james.graham@unlockdemocracy.org.uk.
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