While I have donated small sums to a political party in the past (when living in UK), these were typically in the range of 5 to 10 GBP.

I cannot conceive of any honourable reason or justification for any million pound donation (or loan) to a political party. Even from a member's perspective it is obscene.

Equally if they cannot recruit members...too bad. We would just have to rely on electing individuals as MPs rather than faceless teams of spin doctors (liars) supported by unknown giant donors.

No tax subsidy. No large donors. Just seek members. No members - no party.

Brian Vallance, LEFKIMMI, Greece

Surely the only real need is to cap spending, then, in the main, donations will look after themselves; it is spending that is the real issue in an age of easy money. The Tories would not have their present complaint if this cap had been in position, as the constraint would have effectively evened out the income.

Henry Percy, London, UK

I beleve that anyone should be able to donate any amount of money to any candidate, or party. Three provisions. 1. Abosolute transparancy of how much was given. 2.By whom. 3. Where did they get the money. The taxpayers should not pay for elections.. The UK pays enough taxes to keep these people in the style they have become accustomed too. The 90 million was chicken feed. The total bill here was over $1 BILLION. Which proves monet cannot buy quality.

Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Rexas

I don't want any donations at all to be given to political parties. If they can't attract members, so be it.

dave, berkshire, England

The effect of this will be to lumber the UK voters with the same three parties that have failed endlessly in the past because it will act against any new parties who will not get this funding.
It will do nothing about the corrupt nature of politicians. Handing a corrupt person extra money is not going to stop his corruption in any way. Politicians will still associate with companies for their own good and to our detriment.

Derek Emery, Bedworth, UK

The state funding of political parties will simply fossilise for eternity the existing political arrangements. No party has a divine right to continue to exist. If parties cannot garner sufficient financial support from the voluntary giving of their members and supporters they should be allowed to wither away and be replaced by newer more attractive parties.

Steve Harrison, Stonehouse, UK

Dear Mary Ann,
I'm a great admirer of your work but you have based this particular article on a simple factual error . Admittedly, the sloppy presentation of Sir Hayden's report is pretty misleading.
The two main parties did NOT spend £90 million between them on campaign costs in 2005. This is the figure for campaign costs AND routine costs of the two parties' main offices in financial year 2005. There is no evidence that they avoided the existing cap of national campaign spending as the article suggests.
Moreover, national campaign spending in 2005 was considerably lower in real terms than in the general election of 1997.
I hate to refer to an article of mine, but please look at my piece in The Sunday Times of 24 December 2006 which analyses the figures.

dr Michael Pinto-Duschinsky, Oxford,

No party has my permission to use any of my money!

Jim Golightly, Prudhoe, England

I have long thought that the election campaigns have no effect on the outcome of the election, so the 90 million quoted above is wasted.

Anything that reduces this waste has got to be a good idea.

Ray Frowd, Cambridge, UK

If we do not believe in either these politicians or their parties' policies, why should we be forced to support them with our hard earned money ?

This is 2007 NOT 1984

Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD,

Give them all a lump sum to invest. Let them spend as much as they like on campaigning, but whatever they spend _must_ come from the proceeds of investing that lump sum. For ever.

The party that has the most to spend will be the party that managed its investments most wisely, and therefore the one least likely to make a hash of the economy.

Even the Green Party could choose to put all its money in not-for-profit fair trade schemes and rely on viral marketing to spread the good word....

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

The comment that we are ready to give more of out taxes to parties could only come from within the 'beltway'.
If parties want to spend money, go out and make it by getting support from individuals who beleive, not those who would quite like the choice of 'none of the above'

Tony, haywards heath, england

Telling the truth is fast, easy and cheap. What takes time, talent and kings' ransoms is persuading us that black is white. Contributions to political parties should be limited to a very low individual sum, and nothing else allowed from any source; and election spending constrained as tightly, and enforced by an overspend by a winner causing a rerun, with the expenses of all parties paid by him/her.

Further to my first sentence, political manifestos might also be limited to twice the thousand characters we are permitted in this response.

Noel Falconer, COUIZA, France

Politics is all about maintaining power.
From the moment a Government takes office the Leader has to assess, both the likely date for the next election and the likely sources for the Campaign funds to win it.
In 1987 the Tory Party ran out of Campaign funds 10-days or so before Polling day.
Maggie had to send Alistair McAlpine down to the City and stay there with a begging bowl till there was sufficient in it for solvency to be restored.
The mood of the voter is rapidly changing.
We are all getting fed-up with real politics that is drearier on TV than the political Soaps.
Having seen 2 days ago how Tony Blair got a greater percenatge of votes from Cameron's Party than from his own in the Trident debate, I think it is time for the Tory Party toplan 3 years hence.
Why not then dump Cameron and go for say Posh and Becks.

Michael Blatchford, Bath, UK

Now having read this article, I really must comment!
The first unbelievable statement in it ,is that citizens are willing to pay for political parties campaigning.
I am prepared to go to prison than allow one penny of my taxes be spent on political campaigning.
Anyway, what is so wrong about political parties spending every cent they have on campaigns?
It is damn good for TV, local radio, newspapers etc.
Don't cap anything! Let them spend their dosh.
People aren't fools.
I really believe elections are won and lost before the campaign ever starts.
People know they have had enough of one or the other.
People often vote against their better judgement because they just can't stand the sight of some candidates! No names mentioned!
Please, never let them spend my taxes on their campaigns!

John, Florianopolis, Brazil