Liberal Democrats
From Democracywiki
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Membership
Approximately 73,000 members, currently rising but below the 1990s peak.
Where does the money come from?
The Liberal Democrats have never have access to funds on the same scale as the two larger parties. Their total election spend in the run-up to 2001 was in the region of £4 million, against around £20 million for Labour and the Conservatives. Their largest private backer is the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd, which has also funded this web site.
Other supporters are wealthy individuals and a smattering of private companies. Recently, there has been a rapprochement with the unions and UNISON has provided around £60,000 of funding to the Liberal Democrats.
A note on the Electoral Commission data used for this web site: The Liberal Democrats have adopted a rather stricter interpretation of the rules on publishing donations than the other parties, so some companies such as McDonalds which operates stands at all party conferences look as though they have given only to the Liberal Democrats. Similarly, they alone list the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which distributes funds to all parties for help in developing democracy overseas.
Existing State Funding
The Liberal Democrats receive the second largest share of Short Money And Cranborne Money, to assist their opposition work in Parliament. They will also have a share in the policy development fund administered by the Electoral Commission.
Policy on party funding
The Liberal Democrats are the party most in favour of reforming the funding system. They have attacked both large private donations and the creeping extension of existing block grants from the public purse. Matthew Taylor, the Liberal Democrats' former Shadow Chancellor, recently proposed a cap on donations accompanied by match funding of small contributions.
National campaign expenditure in 2001 General Election
The Liberal Democrats campaign expenditure reached over £1.3 million. Most was spent on transport at £593 thousand, and the media at £230 thousand. Costs for advertising were £196 thousand, rallies and other events were £73 thousand, and party political broadcasts were £55 thousand. Manifesto/party policy document amounted to £91 thousand, and market research/canvassing was £66 thousand. Unsolicited material to electors was priced at over £54 thousand.
