Political donations are poison to our democracy – but there’s an easy antidote to that | George Monbiot
George Monbiot argues that the current system of political donations undermines democracy by fostering suspicion of corruption, even when no illegal activity is proven, as large donations from wealthy individuals create perceived or actual influence over party policies. He highlights Reform UK's reliance on a few major donors, such as Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, to illustrate how concentrated funding can compromise political integrity and public trust. Monbiot calls for systemic reform, noting that weak regulation and lack of enforcement have deepened public disillusionment with politics.
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Illustration: Nate Kitch/The GuardianView image in fullscreen Illustration: Nate Kitch/The GuardianOpinionPoliticsPolitical donations are poison to our democracy – but there’s an easy antidote to thatGeorge MonbiotAs revelations about Reform UK’s donors emerge, it’s clear that increasingly complex forms of patronage can’t be regulated effectively. We need a clean sweepThu 30 Apr 2026 11.58 EDTLast modified on Thu 30 Apr 2026 12.03 EDTShareHow do we know whether political funding is corrupt? Mostly, we don’t. A plutocrat delivers a sack of cash to a political party. A few weeks later, it announces a policy that happens to favour the donor’s business. Are the events linked? We might suspect it; we cannot prove it.
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