4.3 - Funding the Labour Party

• Labour is predominantly funded by trade unions and party members.
• There is a debate about whether trade union funding should be seen as any different from corporate funding as some trade union donations have been larger than corporate donations.

  
  

  The trade union Unite donated £4.5 million in the 2017 general election.
• Although far fewer than the Conservative Party, there are some large individual and corporate donations.

  
  

  The New Labour era of 1997-2010 saw the likes of Bernie Ecclestone and Lord Sainsbury donate large amounts.
• In recent years, there has been an increased proportion of funding from membership fees because of a significant increase in party membership since 2015.

  
  

  Ordinary members of the party donated £18m in total in 2017.
• There was controversy under Tony Blair with individuals giving "loans" to the party and then getting honours.
• In 1997, the Bernie Ecclestone affair was the first major scandal to hit the Blair government and was a catalyst for election campaign reform.