NATIONAL CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS

Early day motion 509, tabled 10 March 2000 by Martin Linton (Labour). Signed by 43 members.

That this House wishes to reverse the 'arms race' of national campaign spending between the major parties, which spent roughly ú26 and ú28 million in the 1997 election campaign; notes the comment of the former General Secretary of the Labour Party Lord Sawyer, that in order to raise that kind of money he 'had to seek donations of up to ú1 million'; fears the limit of ú20 million proposed by the Neill Committee will be too high to end the parties' dependence on millionaire funding; and prefers the limit of ú15 million proposed by Lord Sawyer on behalf of the Labour Party.

Signatures by party: Labour 31, Liberal Democrat 7, Labour/Co-operative 3, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1.