division_name: Opposition Day &#8212; [3rd allotted day] &#8212; Political Parties (Funding)
motion: <p class="" pid="c.698.3/1" pwmotiontext="yes">I beg to move,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c.698.3/2" pwmotiontext="yes">That this House notes with concern the corrosion of public trust in democracy following the recent succession of scandals over the funding of the governing political party; regrets that a comprehensive package of proposals to reform electoral law was not achieved by the inter-party talks owing to the refusal of the Secretary of State for Justice and the Labour representative, Mr Peter Watt, to accept a comprehensive cap on donations; observes the unhealthy increase in back-door state funding through the &#163;6 million of funds allocated to special advisers and the funding of over 3,000 press and communications officers across Whitehall and its quangos; asserts that the Communications Allowance is an unhealthy extension of taxpayer funding for party propaganda that advantages the governing party; and calls for a comprehensive package of reforms to restore public trust and to support a vibrant local democracy and voluntary activism, which must include an across-the-board cap and annually a genuine individual choice for union members on whether they wish to donate to their favoured political party.</p>
  
  <p class="" pid="c.707.0/1" pwmotiontext="yes">I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c.707.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">"notes that political funding reform is essential to the future health of democracy in the UK and that Her Majesty's Gracious Speech said that the Government would bring forward proposals on the regulation of party finance and expenditure; regrets that a comprehensive reform package was not achieved by the inter-party talks owing to the unilateral decision of the Conservative Party to walk away from a draft agreement put to the parties by Sir Hayden Phillips, despite the fact that the draft agreement faithfully reflected recommendations in Sir Hayden's 15th March 2007 Report, which they"&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.743.5/1" pwmotiontext="yes"><i> Question put, </i>That the original words stand part of the Question:&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="c.743.5/2" pwmotiontext="yes"><i> The House divided:</i> Ayes 160, Noes 341.</p>