Good. Yet again the government has done a good thing. But yet again it is not enough, and too weak a political klaxon to signal what Labour stands for. Overcaution and opportunity missed is so often the story, as the government fails to imprint the best of itself on the public mind. But there is still time to act, with hopeful signs behind the scenes that it is considering stronger reforms to how politics is funded. Bring it on, fast – and this time with panache.
Crypto donations to political parties have been banned, instantly leaving no time for shovelling more truckloads of dubious cash from mysterious sources into British politics. Donations from Britons abroad have been capped at £100,000 – still high for those paying to influence tax-and-spend decisions without paying UK tax. Many good recommendations from the report by Philip Rycroft will be debated and included in the current representation of the people bill, after his severe warnings about the influence of Russia, Iran, China or indeed US billionaires inside Trumpworld: all of them enemies. He offers an example of this kind of malevolent interference, noting the sharp drop in aggressive commentary on Scottish independence during Iran’s internet blackout. Who knew Iranian ayatollahs were so interested in the SNP? Enemies relish a broken-up, enfeebled UK.
