Restoring Trust in Our Democracy

When trust in politics is at an all-time low, any serious attempt to modernise our democratic system deserves careful scrutiny and, where it gets things right, genuine credit.

The Government’s new strategy paper, Restoring Trust in Our Democracy, sets out the direction for a forthcoming Elections Bill. While the proposals aren’t perfect, they’re packed full of important progress, and reflect real wins for our supporters and campaigners across the democracy sector who’ve spent years pushing for a fairer, more inclusive political system.

At its heart, the strategy recognises what we and our supporters have long argued: that democracy is stronger when more people can participate, when it’s protected from foreign interference, and when power isn’t skewed by wealth.

There’s a lot here that we welcome. The commitment to introduce votes at 16 is a significant update to democracy. It brings Westminster into line with Scotland and Wales, and a growing number of democracies around the world that trust young people to shape the future they’ll inherit. Alongside this, the Government’s pledge to move towards automatic voter registration is a commonsense and simple step forward. With nearly eight million eligible voters missing from the register, making it easier for all of us to get and stay registered is vital.

We’re also pleased to see the Government signal a crackdown on foreign and dark money in politics. Plans to tighten donation rules, including new checks on shell companies and unincorporated associations, are a clear response to growing public anger about the role of outside influence in our democratic system. And allowing widely-held forms of ID, such as bank cards, is a practical update that should help reduce the number of voters turned away at the ballot box.

But despite this progress, the proposals stop short of delivering the full reset our democracy urgently needs. The biggest omission, and the elephant in the room, is the absence of a cap on political donations. At a time when public trust is eroding, this was a missed opportunity to show that our politics isn’t just for the wealthiest few. Voters are tired of a system where influence often comes down to the size of your chequebook. Without a serious commitment to curbing big money in politics, it’s hard to claim this package will truly level the playing field.

There are also questions about how far and fast the Government is willing to go on automatic voter registration. Trialling new systems can be a useful way to get things right, but with a General Election in a few years, there’s a risk that slow progress will mean too many young people, including those newly enfranchised 16 and 17 year olds, won’t be registered in time. For this policy to succeed, the rollout needs to be ambitious, well-resourced, and backed by real powers for local Electoral Registration Officers.

Our supporters have made it clear: they want a political system that is open, fair and secure. In recent polling, over three-quarters told us they see this strategy as a step in the right direction, but they also want to see the Government go further and act faster. That’s exactly what we’ll be pushing for.

In the months ahead, we’ll be championing the reforms that work and making the case for them to be implemented at pace and scale. We’ll keep pressing for the tougher reforms that are missing, like donation caps and stopping dark money flooding our politics. And we’ll continue engaging the public in this work, because trust won’t be restored by legislation alone, it will come from people feeling like the system truly works for them.

This strategy lays some important foundations. Now it’s time to build something better.