Time for a cap on ALL donations

Rt Hon Steve Reed MP
Secretary of State
Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government

2nd July 2026 

Dear Secretary of State,

We share your concern about the risk of foreign money influencing UK politics. 

While we welcomed the Government’s introduction of a £100,000 cap on overseas donations, it is not proving to be strong enough. 

In April, we wrote to you with our concerns after a Hong-Kong based billionaire announced his plans to sidestep the rules. 

Since then, another billionaire, Christopher Harborne, based in Thailand, is seeking to evade the cap by registering to vote in Hampshire. 

It is clear that overseas mega-donors will continue to make a mockery of the rules.

The only way to eliminate the risk of foreign money having influence in our politics is to apply a donation cap to all donors. 

This would prevent a handful of wealthy individuals from using their cash to gain influence in our politics and drown out the concerns of ordinary people.

We hope the Government will amend the Representation of the People Bill to introduce an annual donations cap on all donors.

I look forward to your response. 

Yours sincerely,

Tom Brake
CEO
Unlock Democracy