Why transparency in party funding matters

10.12.37am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 17th Oct 2006

Money

The names of the Midlands Industrial Council are now known, having glanced down them one jumped out at me - Graham Hampson-Silk. Mr Hampson-Silk had been behind the plans to expand Wolverhampton Business Airport and is part of an organisation that has funded Wolverhampton South West Conservatives.

The expansion of Wolverhampton Business Airport has been a very controversial issue in Wolverhampton South West and South Staffordshire, and other areas. Now the question exists - were Wolverhampton South West Conservatives able to campaign properly for and represent local residents, if they were receiving funding from Hampson-Silk. I am not saying they were not able to, but it could have hampered them and put them in a difficult position. If this information was public prior to the General Election I suspect there would have been some people who would not have voted Conservative on this one issue alone.

The Liberal Democrats have campaigned against the expansion of Wolverhampton Business Airport on many grounds including the environmental impact the expansion would have. With the Conservatives under David Cameron pretending to be environmentally friendly this is just another example of their funders being less than green.

I have not checked the other names on the list of Midlands Industrial Council members but suspect there could be other funders with potential conflicts or agendas that could hamper the Conservatives campaigning properly for and representing local residents. At least now the names are public the electorate have the ability to find out more before casting their votes.