Labour were accused of trying to limit spending by rival parties in marginal seats when it moved forward its plans for reforms to funding for Westminster elections.
Currently there is a limit set on when the election is called, but now they are looking to set a cap of £11,000 per constituency from when campaigning is deemed to have started. Sitting MPs will retain their £40,000 p.a. allowance to "communicate" with constituents, and there is also to be no restriction on union donations to Labour. The Labour regulations reek of competitive disadvantage to those challenging. It will adversely affect both the Conservative party who have big benefactors who will plough money into key marginals and the work that would be carried out by Lib Dems in marginal seat which often expand over a full election cycle or more to achieve success in key marginals.
Something does have to be done about political funding for elections but it has to be transparent and fair. These Labour proposals are ludicrously one sided only affecting individual donations and not their own union base.
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