The Listener's latest editorial on party finance reform - Cheque, mate? - displays a great deal of common sense. It sensibly discusses the three main areas of contention: third party campaigning, state funding, and the process of reform. [Read more below]
In terms of third party campaigning, the Listener argues against any spending caps, saying Labour's proposal 'amounts to nothing more than a curb on free speech at the very time debate should be at its most vigorous. An election campaign should be a contest of ideas in which input from people other than political parties is anticipated and encouraged.'
The Listener is unconvinced by the need for state funding of parties, correctly pointing out that 'Such a move would go a long way to cementing Labour and National’s grip on the government and Opposition benches'. Such reforms would simply lead to 'the best government taxpayers’ money can buy'.
In terms of the process by which Labour has secretly attempted to build up an elite majority to ram its proposals through Parliament, the Listener says the party has been 'arrogant or foolish, or both'. Sensibly, it says that 'The changes being proposed are so fundamental to democracy that they should also require parliamentary support beyond a simple single-vote majority'. An independent commission of inquiry is suggested instead.
