The Guardian ·
Big-money donations poison British politics. We can stop the mega-rich buying access and influence
I’ve seen how imbalances in campaign spending can distort democracy. The multimillion-pound gifts to Reform must act as a final wake-up call, says former UK prime minister Gordon Brown
The British people cannot be bought, but their views and votes can be heavily influenced by a flood of political party propaganda – from expensive advertising and constant leaflet drops to personalised online messages targeted directly at voters.
When I fought the election of 2010, there was a massive imbalance in spending. In 2007 we had inherited Labour party debts of £25m following the 2005 election – and with such tight finances Labour was able to spend only £8m in 2010, in contrast to the Conservatives’ £17m. We lost out in particular by being unable to invest in the new forms of online advertising coming on stream.
But the imbalances are likely to become even starker in future as the recent donations to Reform show. A decade ago, only 1% of individuals and companies making political donations gave of the order of £1m or more. By 2024, they accounted for over a third, at 35%. These latest record-breaking donations from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne are worth more than all donations to UK political parties in 2025 combined.
