Party Funding

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Defence – in the House of Commons at 3:39 pm on 26 March 2012.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Clive Efford Clive Efford Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport) 3:39, 26 March 2012

When he was the Leader of the Opposition, this Prime Minister said:

“We can’t go on like this. I believe it’s time we shone the light of transparency on lobbying in our country and forced our politics to come clean about who is buying power and influence.”

I agree with that absolutely. The Minister has been suggesting that this can be resolved just by publishing a list of who gave what and how much they gave, but this is about buying access to buy influence. That is the key difference here and it is why only an independent inquiry into what has gone on will satisfy the public. No matter what the Minister says at the Dispatch Box, it is an independent inquiry that is needed.