Cleaning up political funding is overdue. It's about standards, not just money.

It truly grates on me, the constant discussion around political donations and who is paying for what in Westminster. It diminishes the very idea of public service, making it seem like influence can simply be bought. This erosion of institutional standards undermines the trust people have in their elected representatives, and frankly, it is not how a serious country should conduct its affairs. We expect integrity, not transactions.

My view is we need a complete overhaul of how political parties are funded. Large private donations from individuals or corporations should be severely limited, perhaps to a sum that reflects genuine support rather than an attempt to buy favour. Parties ought to be relying on smaller contributions from a broad base of members and citizens, not a handful of wealthy benefactors.