A think-tank report (written by two Conservative MPs) said that the Labour government discriminated in favour of employee rights because of its financial dependence on trade unions. It made recommendations designed to limit the amount of money trade unions could donate to the Labour Party.
Source: Jonathan Djanogly MP and Alan Duncan MP, Labour and the Trade Unions: An analysis of a symbiotic relationship, Centre for Policy Studies (020 7222 4488)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Nov
A think-tank report said that populist frustration with party politics could often demonstrate a refusal to confront the compromises and trade-offs that remained the essence of democracy: but parties would need to change to remain relevant, and to respond to the transformations in society that were threatening them.
Source: Tim Horton, David Pinto-Duschinsky and Jessica Studdert, Facing Out: How party politics must change to build a progressive society, Fabian Society (020 7227 4900)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Aug
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the funding of political parties. It said that the Phillips report had identified principles which could form the basis of a lasting settlement for the party funding system.
Source: Government Response to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee First Report of Session 2006-07: Party Funding, Cm 7123, Office of the Leader of the House of Commons, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2007-May
A new book proposed a set of initiatives on the funding of political parties, designed to encourage parties to recruit and retain members, and to give members rights in relation to the government and administration of these parties.
Source: Keith Ewing, The Cost of Democracy: Party funding in modern British politics, Hart Publishing (01865 517530)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Mar
A government-commissioned review recommended a £50,000 cap on individual donations to political parties, limits on election spending, and up to £25 million state funding per year for political parties.
Source: Strengthening Democracy: Fair and Sustainable Funding of Political Parties, Review of the Funding of Political Parties (020 7210 0538)
Links: Report | Hansard(1) | Hansard (2) | CSPL press release | Unlock Democracy press release | Guardian report | FT report
Date: 2007-Mar
The watchdog for standards in public life accused the Electoral Commission of 'a lack of courage, competence and leadership' in its role as regulator of party funding. It also said the Commission had failed to show enough 'focus and courage' in warning of the dangers of electoral fraud resulting from the extension of postal voting. It called for the Commission to be stripped of some of its functions in order to concentrate on its core tasks of regulating party funding and the electoral process.
Source: Review of the Electoral Commission: Eleventh Report, Cm 7006, Committee on Standards in Public Life, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | CSPL press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jan
A report examined respect for political opponents. An adversarial style of news broadcasting appeared to increase the level of respect that people had for others with different political convictions. Private conversations about politics with people with different views seemed to have an even more positive effect.
Source: Katrin Voltmer and Mansur Lalljee, 'Agree to disagree: respect for political opponents', British Social Attitudes: The 23rd Report - Perspectives on a changing society, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Natcen press release
Date: 2007-Jan