Samantha Dixon MP: speeches

Speeches

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  Yes, I can.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  As I have set out, the Government believe that there is a legitimate role for political donations that are made correctly and effectively, in accordance with the rules. However, I will write to the hon. Lady about the specific issue she raises.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  I think the bar will be set very high before the moratorium ends—I can give my right hon. Friend that reassurance. We would need to be sure that no foreign or malign actor could use cryptocurrency to influence our political system before we would even consider lifting that moratorium. I can give my right hon. Friend an assurance that the bar will be very high before that happens—if it happens. We have more work to do on algorithms. We will be working hard with partners across Government to address this, and I hear what my right hon. Friend says. It is a serious issue that we will address.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  The Government’s view is that there is a place for legitimate donations in political financing in the UK. However, the Representation of the People Bill, with the extra insight that Philip Rycroft has produced, will provide us with one of the most, if not the most, strenuous sets of legislation on political financing that the country has ever seen. That does not mean to say that we are complacent and that we will not continue to monitor and act when necessary, but this is truly groundbreaking.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  rose—

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  There are a number of arrangements for different citizens—reciprocal arrangements—in different parts of the country and for different countries. I will set out for the hon. Lady the arrangements as they stand at the moment. We are not proposing to change those arrangements.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  As I have set out, the Government’s position is that there is a role for financial political donations that have been given in accordance with the rules, to enable British politics to flourish.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  I hear what my right hon. Friend has said. I think the important thing is to close the loopholes for individuals returning from overseas. If they are not registered as an overseas elector, from today their contribution will be capped at £100,000 per annum, and I think that we would all support closing that loophole.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  Any company that wants to donate into British politics will have to substantially prove that it is able to do so by being headquartered in the UK and having persons of interest from the UK. We will end the way in which shell companies have been used to channel illegitimate funds into our political system.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  I am not going to comment on individual Members without having notified them in advance, but I note my hon. Friend’s comments.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is right to point to the “know your donor” arrangements that will come in through the Representation of the People Bill and the way those rules will be tightened through the Rycroft review recommendations. It is an important point, and I may come back to him in writing.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  Madam Deputy Speaker, I wonder which question the hon. Member would like me to answer most pressingly. On working across Government, yes, we do take this extremely seriously, and the work will not stop just because we have successfully completed stages of the Bill. The work is ongoing, and with our partners across Government we will continually monitor interference in our political system and act against it. On that particular platform, I am sure this is being considered, but I am not going to make a commitment at the Dispatch Box.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend that the priority is to protect our political system from interference by foreign powers, including Russia. We will always continue to hold Russia to account and to counter the threat posed by Putin’s regime, and we will work at pace across Government to support that work—and not just in the Representation of the People Bill or as a response to the review, but continuously.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for her contribution. As I said previously, it is the Government’s view that there is a place in UK political finance for legitimate donations and we do not intend to introduce a cap.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  The Government’s intention is to table amendments to the Representation of the People Bill following today’s statement. Report and Third Reading will take place next week, so we will be moving forward at pace.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend raises an important point. We will be working across the Benches to develop a donor declaration that will set out where exactly money has come from. We need to proceed on that with care and collaboration to ensure that when a donation is given, it is clear where exactly it is coming from. I agree with him entirely.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  Any political party that abides by the rules the Government are introducing will be able to flourish in our political system. Those that do not can expect to be held firmly to account.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  The right hon. and learned Gentleman is absolutely correct. Through the Representation of the People Bill, we will take forward measures to address that.

• 6 Jul 2026 · Foreign Interference in UK Politics · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. The measures that I have set out today on overseas electors and residents returning to Britain from overseas should provide some of the certainty he is looking for so that his constituents can feel confident that our system is safe.