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<p>UK electoral law sets out a stringent regime of controls on donations to political
parties to ensure that only those with a legitimate interest in UK elections can make
donations. Donations from foreign powers – made directly or indirectly – are illegal,
and there are strong rules safeguarding against impermissible donations via backdoors.</p><p>It
is an offence to attempt to evade the rules on donations by concealing information,
giving false information, or knowingly facilitating the making of an impermissible
donation.</p><p>The National Security Act 2023 will create a challenging operating
environment for foreign states who seek to undermine UK interests – including our
political system. The Act provides for substantially increased maximum penalties for
electoral offences relevant to donation rules, where activity is done for, on behalf
or with the intention to benefit a foreign power.</p><p>The Government has committed
to taking forward a consultation on ways to enhance information-sharing between relevant
agencies or public bodies to help to identify and mitigate the risk of foreign interference
in political donations that are regulated by electoral law. This will be taken forward
by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and be supported by the
Defending Democracy Taskforce.</p><p>The Defending Democracy Taskforce’s mission statement
is to reduce the risk to the UK’s democratic processes, institutions, and society.
This includes protecting the democratic integrity of the UK from threats of foreign
interference. We continue to keep potential threats under review, including foreign
interference in public office and political parties, to ensure UK democracy remains
robust.</p>
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