What are the rules around political donations in the UK?published at 10:44 BST
10:44 BST
What counts as a donation?
The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) defines donations as any money, goods or services given to a party without charge or on non-commercial terms.
Some examples of donations include: a gift of money or property, sponsorship of an event or publication, a subscription or affiliation payments, the free or specially discounted use of an office.
Do all donations have to be recorded?
No, donations under £500 do not need to be recorded or reported to the Electoral Commission.
If a donation or multiple donations exceeding £11,800 are received from the same source within a calendar year they must be reported.
Is there a cap on donations?
There are currently no restrictions on the amount of money UK-based donors can give to political parties and politicians.
Why is Reform receiving attention over the £72m in donations?
The sheer scale of Reform UK’s record-breaking donation windfall has prompted debate.
At the beginning of this month, before the donations were announced, the government said it was “determined to tackle” the issue of “mega-donors” and was “working at pace to find a solution”.
But Reform have accused Labour of wanting to “rig the system” by changing the rules on party donations as they “know they can’t win an election fairly”.
What would the new proposed law change?
The government is seeking to change the law on donations to UK political parties from British expats.
This would include the introduction of a £100,000 cap on donations and loans from overseas voters.