Government says Reform's £72m donations comply with law as it seeks to change expat donation rules

London – The government has announced plans to amend the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to relax restrictions on political donations from British citizens living abroad. The proposal would allow expatriates who are not registered to vote in the United Kingdom to contribute to UK political parties, subject to a £10,000 annual cap and enhanced transparency requirements.

Under current legislation, only individuals registered on the UK electoral roll may make donations, a rule intended to prevent foreign influence in domestic politics. The minister responsible for the reform argued that the change would broaden the democratic participation of the British diaspora, estimated at around five million people, and could increase fundraising opportunities for parties. A public consultation running until the end of October has drawn mixed responses: some parties welcome the additional funding source, while the Electoral Commission and several watchdog groups have warned that the new rules could complicate monitoring and raise concerns about overseas interests shaping policy. The government has pledged that all contributions will be recorded in a publicly accessible register and that donors will be required to verify their British citizenship.

If approved by Parliament, the amendment is expected to be incorporated into the next Finance Bill and could come into force by early 2027. The outcome will determine whether expatriate Britons can legally support their preferred parties and how the revised framework will be enforced by the Electoral Commission.