The UK can learn from Canada in reforming trade union and corporate funding of parties

This morning the GMB trade union announced a significant cut in its funding of the Labour Party, following Ed Miliband’s proposals for reform of the party’s links with unions. In previous research for Democratic Audit, Stephen Crone examined how party funding had been reformed in Canada, which included a ban on trade union and corporate donations to parties. Here, in an extract from his report, he considers what lessons the UK can learn from the Canadian system.