Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Cap on donations needed after Gething row
The website says that Gething, who broke no rules, was forced to stand down after accepting the donation from a convicted polluter’s company during the 2024 Welsh Labour leadership race:
Before resigning, the former first minister – who outspent rival Jeremy Miles by £254,600 to £61,800 – urged the Senedd’s standards committee to look into reforming donation rules.
Now, in evidence to the committee’s resulting inquiry, witnesses have warned a lack of limits on donations, and a high threshold for reporting, risk damaging public confidence.
Transparency International UK, an anti-corruption nonprofit organisation, said the row over the £200,000 donation has correlated with low levels of trust in the Welsh Government.
The group called for a £10,000 cap on contributions to candidates standing in internal elections from any individual or organisation, with limits on how much can be spent.
Transparency International told members of the standards committee: “The Vaughan Gething case also raised questions about the legitimacy of the donations received.
“Some were linked to criminal investigations and convictions. When a politician is seen to receive contributions from those connected with wrongdoing, it undermines public trust.
“Candidates and parties should do more to ensure the legitimacy of donations they receive.”
Only 24% of people believe party funding is transparent, according to a 2023 Electoral Commission survey on public perception of political campaign finances.
Transparency International and the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) Cymru criticised the £2,230 threshold for reporting donations, arguing it is too high by international standards.
ERS Cymru warned: “Whilst there are limits on spending, there are currently no limits on donations. This creates a space for individual, corporate or other interests to have an outsized impact on the financial flows to parties and candidates.
“Both the total amount of political donations and the size of donations has been increasing.”
The UK’s committee on standards in public life recommended a donation limit of £10,000 in an effort to “end the big donor culture” in 2011.
In its evidence, ERS Cymru said: “Whether it’s parties or candidates, reliance on a small number of wealthy donations can distort politics and open up the potential for corruption. “A donations limit is not only better for preventing undue influence but protects political parties and representatives from risky fundraising behaviours.”
It is important that Welsh politics is both transparent and accountable, that donors of whatever ilk, cannot give the impression of buying influence and that there is a level playing field for candidates. If that means a cap on donations then that is what should happen.
It is important that Welsh politics is both transparent and accountable, that donors of whatever ilk, cannot give the impression of buying influence and that there is a level playing field for candidates. If that means a cap on donations then that is what should happen.
