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IN Sunday's Comment: Looking Around Ray Fleming refers to Lord Ashcroft's help to the Conservative Party during this year's General Election particularly in marginal constituencies. Ray is interested in the political tactics and outcome I am more interested in the financial aspects.

Quite sensibly party expenditure is limited to avoid bankrolling in MPs but the limits seem high to me. Each major party can spend up to £18 million. On top of this each candidate can spend up to £40'000 so with 600 seats to fight over this adds another £24 million allowed. £42000000 seems a lot of money to me. It is to the political parties as well. Although they may and often do spend it they do not raise it so are in a continual state of impending bankruptcy.

The need to balance the books puts intolerable pressure on party treasurers to raise money. One thing they have available are gongs and they have been selling them for centuries. Way back in 1610 James 1 (monarchist) sold baronetcies for £1500. Fast forward three centuries and Lloyd George (liberal) had them on sale for £40000. 100 years later and Tony Blair (socialist) was up to the same skulduggery (cash for honours) with Lord Levy as go between. Despite (or perhaps because of) a detailed, independent, transparent, ….add your own weasel word here, police investigation nothing illegal was discovered so I cannot provide the current price of having Sir in front of your name.

This is a timeless problem and is that of politicians accepting brown envelopes or fabricating their expense claims. The blame is as much to do with us the voter as them the voted in. We are cheap skates and do not want to pay adequately to achieve the honest and efficient political system we say we want. All political contributions, gifts, loans et al should be forbidden. Political campaigns should be completely paid for by us the tax payer. MP's salaries should be linked to a Civil Service grade and not subject to arbitrary freezing by grand standing PMs. Just like in any company all necessary expenses should be paid in full on provision of receipts. Initially the cost may seem high but how much higher is the cost to the UK of political contributors getting their payback not just in OBE's but in over priced contracts? I won't hold my breath because neither the voters have the vision nor their MPs the bottle to enact such a law.

Mike Lillico
Playa de Palma