Our letter on cash for access

Doug Chalmers 

Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life

7th August 2025

Dear Mr Chalmers, 

Congratulations on your appointment as Chair of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

You may have seen recent reports of a Labour think tank selling private meetings with senior Labour figures for £9,500, and Nigel Farage selling breakfast meetings with himself for £25,000 or more.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/labour-cash-access-breakfasts-lif-lobbying-bg22q6qnk

https://www.desmog.com/2025/08/05/reform-uk-conference-2025-champagne-breakfast-nigel-farage/

These ‘cash for access’ deals damage the public’s trust in politics, and appear to violate the Nolan Principles, which require public servants to avoid situations where others “might improperly influence them.” 

We hope the Ethics and Integrity Commission will look into whether these types of financial contributions are appropriate and in line with the rules around lobbying and donations. 

We also hope the Commission will review whether there is sufficient transparency around who is making these payments, or if the rules should be strengthened to require the details of those paying to meet senior politicians to be made public.

Please let us know whether you and the Commission will review the appropriateness of these ‘cash for access’ schemes?

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely, 

Tom Brake

Director

Unlock Democracy