MP says something sensible about party funding

The Conservative MP John Redwood had an article published in today’s Telegraph and on his website about party funding.

Key points:

1. main parties are in denial over low turnout at elections;
2. polls showed more voters were put off by the marketing campaigns of the main parties than wooed by them;
3. parties need to return to campaigning door-to-door;
4. cap general election expenditure and individual donations;
5. no increase in state funding;
6. “There are two answers to the money shortfall from large donors. The first is to spend less: spend less on market research, computers and fancy campaigning; and get back on the streets with a volunteer army. The second is to enrol more members. If you persuade every member to give £10 for an election — not a big ask — you can have a £7.5 million campaign from just 750,000 supporters, far fewer than used to belong to the Conservative Party. That’s still more than enough money to annoy voters if you spend it badly.”

Excellent article.

Anyone listening?

Update:

Thinking about it I’m not sure why a cap in expenditure is necessary or appropriate.  Parties should be able to manage their own finances (well, they should) and it would give voters a choice between flashy marketing campaigns (which they don’t seem to like) and those who only engage in basic marketing.