Liberal Eye

Reform of political funding is very much on the agenda with the main parties deadlocked on positions that just happen to suit their traditional funding base – unions for Labour; big hitters for the Tories.  Here at last is a new idea (well, new to me at least) from the good old US of A.

It’s known as ‘Voter-Owned Elections’ or ‘Clean Elections’ and here’s how it works.  All supporters contribute an equal $5 – and only $5 – to their favoured candidate over an interval governed by the electoral timetable and up to the ceiling set for that election.

Result: no covert obligations to be paid back in government contracts or ‘difficult’ planning permissions awarded and, according to this account greater public engagement in the system.

Does anyone know more about it?