Labour MP Anneliese Dodds has called for the national election spending limit to be brought back down, arguing that the sharp increase introduced by the Conservatives has fuelled an unhealthy “arms race” in political fundraising.
The Oxford East MP has tabled an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill that would reduce the maximum amount political parties can spend during a general election campaign.
Writing on X, Dodds said:
“Three years ago, the Conservatives raised the cap on political spending by 80% without any public debate or vote in Parliament.
“My amendment will bring this back down to a reasonable level and end the arms race in political finance.”
The previous Conservative government increased the national party spending limit in 2023. For a party contesting every seat in Great Britain, the effective ceiling rose from about £19 million to more than £34 million – an increase of around 80%.
Ministers at the time said the change reflected inflation because the limits had not been uprated for more than two decades. The measure was introduced through secondary legislation rather than primary legislation.
But the move attracted criticism from the Electoral Commission and opposition politicians, with concerns that significantly higher spending limits could give an advantage to parties capable of attracting very large donations. Sky News reported that the Commission said it had “not seen evidence” to support the change.
Dodds proposes £24.4 million limit
Dodds’ amendment would reduce the maximum national party spending limit from around £34 million to £24.4 million, cutting the present ceiling by close to a third.
The proposal forms part of a broader debate within Parliament over how Britain should regulate political donations and campaign spending amid concern about the growing sums entering politics.
Dodds has previously argued that new sources of political finance, including cryptocurrency donations, make stronger safeguards increasingly important. Writing in the Mirror, she said the 2023 increase had created a “giant, unaccountable ratchet” and that fundraising had become an arms race.
In an earlier intervention she said:
“The time has come to end the arms race in political spending.”
The issue has taken on additional significance following the 2024 general election. Electoral Commission data and House of Commons Library analysis show that Labour and the Conservatives were among the relatively small number of parties that spent a substantial proportion of the new national spending limit.
Transparency International UK has also argued that Britain’s political finance rules need reform, warning that weak controls have contributed to increasing campaign expenditure and pressure on parties to secure ever-larger donations.
Push for stronger political finance rules
Dodds’ amendment sits alongside other proposals being considered as part of the Representation of the People Bill, including calls for tighter controls on political donations and additional safeguards against foreign influence. Alex Sobel has separately proposed a £1 million annual cap on donations, while the government has already announced tougher rules on overseas money in UK elections.
Supporters of reform argue that lowering spending ceilings could reduce parties’ dependence on a relatively small pool of exceptionally wealthy donors while maintaining their ability to campaign nationally.
The Conservatives have previously defended the higher limits, arguing that uprating them for inflation restored their real value after more than 20 years without significant adjustment.
Dodds, however, believes the current limits have gone too far.
Her intervention puts the focus firmly on whether political parties should be competing to raise and spend ever-larger sums – or whether Parliament should impose a lower ceiling designed to keep elections competitive and public confidence in political finance intact.
