Party that got £4m from a tax haven apparently ‘getting a grip on cronyism’

The story that absolutely should be dominating journalists’ questions to politicians at this year’s Labour conference should be openDemocracy‘s report about Labour getting “£4m from tax haven-based hedge fund with shares in oil and arms”. Of course, it’s not – as the corporate media is more up in arms with faux outrage over some Arsenal tickets and designer clothing, not Labour cronyism.

Labour cronyism: just what can you buy?

The party’s “largest-ever donation”, from a company which also has shares in “private health firms”, also came at exactly the right time for hiding it away until after this year’s general election. It’s almost as if they had planned to hide it from voters.

Fortunately, though, neoliberal crony Rachel Reeves is on the case. And she promises the Labour Party is “making sure we are getting a grip of cronyism”.

Phew! Good to hear!

Just as Israel impartially investigates its own genocidal war crimes, surely Keir Starmer’s crony cabinet will leave no stone unturned… before clearing themselves of any wrongdoing.

Reeves does understand voters, to be fair. As she said:

What really grates is that people donate and then they get something in return.

She’s just unlikely to do anything about it.

So what would one ‘get in return’ if one kindly donated FOUR MILLION POUNDS? Environmental deregulation? Privatisation of the NHS? More arms and money for lucrative death and destruction abroad? Lower taxes for corporations? Time will tell:

Rachel Reeves says what really grates is when people donate to politicians and get something in return.

erm why does she think e.g. a Cayman Islands registered hedge fund that invests in fossil fuels and arms manufacturers gave Labour £4 million. Because they were bored? pic.twitter.com/Hiabt6OQO2

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) September 23, 2024

“Our democracy is for sale”

As investigative journalist Paul Holden told openDemocracy:

Sir Keir Starmer and the organisations close to him have an unfortunate history of reporting donations in controversial ways.

Also, as Transparency International UK’s Rose Whiffen added:

When the public see political parties relying on such large sums of money in donations from private sources, it understandably raises questions as to in whose interest politicians are working and can give the impression our democracy is for sale.

Maybe that’s why, just a few months after the general election, 48% of people who voted Labour in both 2019 and 2024 “would consider voting for other parties”, according to new research. It’s almost as if a Labour leadership team accepting bribes – sorry, donations – from dodgy elite donors doesn’t sit right with socialists.

Or it could be freezing pensioners, leaving kids in poverty, or supporting a genocide that put voters off. There are so many sources of disgust to choose from nowadays.

Reeves and co may think they can make some woolly, dead-eyed statement and make this go away. But we absolutely shouldn’t let them off the hook for their obvious cronyism. Not today. Not ever.

Featured image via the Canary