Party Finance in 2019: Advantage Conservative Party

Abstract

Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. With only two and half years since the previous election, there might have been a temptation to think little would change in terms of party finance. Certainly, there were no major reviews or legislative change. But, the fallout from the 2015 election continued and was finally resolved in court, with the ruling affecting party behaviour in terms of allocating campaign expenditure. And, just as in 2017, the snap election established Conservative financial dominance. But 2019 did more than that. The Conservatives’ financial advantage became even more marked, buoyed by further growth in corporate donations. For Labour, the legacy of the Corbyn leadership was a very positive increase in income from party members but equally a heavy reliance on one union for campaign donations.