Big Four Accountancy firms: Donations to UK political parties 2010-2015
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This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch. |
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This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch. |
During the Coalition Government, from May 2010 to May 2015, the 'Big Four' accountancy firms (KPMG, PwC, Deloitte and Ernst and Young) donated huge amounts to the main three political parties - the Labour Party, Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats. These donations were predominately in the form of staff secondments, but also as cash donations, consultancy services, hospitality and hidden by the 'other' category.
Former Labour MP Austin Mitchell has claimed the Big Four are more powerful than government. He says that
- They are so dominant in such big centres of power, that they permeate government by providing staff and transferring people over and recruiting the high-fliers from government for their own purposes. More powerful, well, that is kind of a bit boastful, but they are certainly very powerful.
- Their power has increased and ought to be diminished. I think it's a new sponsor of power, based on the self-interest of their partners.
- Governments give all sorts of concessions, like limited liability partnerships. They threatened to get by in the Channel Islands by emigrating the firms to Jersey. That decided the Labour government to give them limited liability partnerships, which prevents all the partners from losing their yachts and houses and big money in the event of a lawsuit against them.
- So they have already got major concessions from government and they are transacting a lot of government business when advisory government business comes their way. I think their power is a threat to the public sector'.[1]
PwC
Conservative Party
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 10/05/2010 | £4,329.00 | Consultancy services |
| 10/05/2010 | £8,305.00 | Staff costs |
Liberal Democrats
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 30/09/2010 | £5,825.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2010 | £24,852.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2011 | £24,852.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2011 | £38,281.00 | Non-cash, other |
| 30/06/2011 | £20,137.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2011 | £6,879.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2011 | £14,811.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2011 | £5,050.00 | Non-cash, other |
| 31/03/2012 | £14,534.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2012 | £28,417.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2012 | £26,224.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2012 | £14,138.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2012 | £3,216.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2012 | £25,894.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2012 | £1,772.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2013 | £3,101.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2013 | £3,330.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2013 | £28,306.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2013 | £28,753.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2013 | £21,155.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2013 | £21,022.00 | Staff costs |
| 12/03/2014 | £3,101.00 | Non-cash, other |
| 31/03/2014 | £15,936.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2014 | £48,069.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2014 | £67,997.00 | Staff costs |
| 15/10/2014 | £7,500.00 | Cash donation |
| 31/12/2014 | £19,448.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2014 | £20,601.00 | Staff costs |
Labour Party
Party donations
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 01/06/2010 | £9,500.00 | Cash sponsorship |
| 26/11/2010 | £835.00 | Hospitality |
| 31/12/2010 | £61,861.00 | Staff costs |
| 28/02/2011 | £10,106.64 | Staff costs |
| 03/03/2011 | £1,227.00 | Cash sponsorship |
| 06/06/2011 | £30,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2011 | £81,315.00 | Staff costs |
| 04/01/2012 | £59,976.00 | Staff costs |
| 12/06/2012 | £106,130.00 | Staff costs |
| 05/11/2012 | £88,060.00 | Staff costs |
| 25/03/2013 | £54,432.00 | Staff costs |
| 15/11/2013 | £61,220.00 | Staff costs |
| 01/04/2014 | £32,670.00 | Staff costs |
| 18/07/2014 | £57,078.00 | Staff costs |
| 21/11/2014 | £386,605.00 | Staff costs |
Personal donations
| Date(s) | Person | Amount | Nature of donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2010 | Angela Eagle | Ad hoc advice from specialists during the Commons stages of the Finance Bill received by the Opposition Frontbench Treasury Team | |
| June 2010 | Stephen Timms | £9,500.00 | Ad hoc advice from specialists during the Commons stages of the Finance Bill received by the Opposition Frontbench |
| July 2010 | Liam Byrne | £9,500.00 | Ad hoc advice provided to the frontbench Treasury team during the passage of the Finance Bill |
| July 2010 | Alistair Darling | £9,500.00 | Ad hoc advice provided to the frontbench Treasury team during the passage of the Finance Bill |
| October 2010 - November 2010 | David Hanson | £11,000.00 | Ad hoc advice provided to the frontbench Treasury team during the passage of the Finance (No.2) Bill |
| December 2010 - May 2011 (part time) | John Healey | £12,852.00 | Policy analysis provided to me as Shadow Health Secretary |
| 28 February 2011 - 30 June 2011 (4 days per week) | John Denham | £53,812.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my Opposition front bench role |
| 4 April 2011 – 31 July 2011 | David Hanson | £55,800.00 | Ad hoc advice provided to the frontbench Treasury team during the passage of the Finance (No.3) Bill |
| May 2011 - June 2011 (3 days per week) and August - September 2011 (4 days per week) | Caroline Flint | £25,515.00 | Policy analysis provided to me as Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government |
| 6 June 2011 - October 2011 (4 days a week) | Jim Murphy | Approximately £15,000.00 | Policy analysis provided to me as Shadow Secretary of State for Defence |
| 6 September 2011 - 6 October 2011 (4 days per week) | John Denham | £12,213.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills |
| 7 October 2011 - 23 December 2011 (4 days a week) | Chuka Umunna | £30,000.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills |
| 28 November 2011-15 May 2012 | Owen Smith | £58,530.00 | Ad hoc advice provided to the frontbench Shadow Treasury team during the passage of the Finance (No. 4) Bill |
| 4 January 2012 - 1 June 2012 (4 days a week) | Ed Balls | £72,576.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
| 30 days between 31 January 2012 - 31 March 2012 | Christopher Leslie | £46,620.00 | The services of a Senior Manager to support me in my role as Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Financial Services Bill committee stage |
| 22 May 2012 - 22 July 2012 (3 days a week) | Rachel Reeves | £35,000.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my capacity as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury |
| 17 September 2012 - 20 December 2012 | Stephen Twigg | £14,490.00 | Policy analysis provided to me as Shadow Secretary of State for Education |
| 8 October 2012 to 31 January 2013 (2.5 days a week) | Chuka Umunna | £25,162.50 (secondee is also working for another member (assumed to be Rachel Reeves)) | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Business |
| 8 October 2012 - 31 January 2013 (2.5 days a week) | Rachel Reeves | £25,162.50 (the secondee is also working for another member (assumed to be Chuka Umunna)) | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my capacity as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury |
| 5 November 2012 - 1 March 2013 (5 days a week) | Ed Balls | £88,060.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
| 18 March 2013 - 18 June 2013 | Cathy Jamieson | £18,144.00 | The services of a Technical Support Analyst to support me in my role as a Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Finance Bill 2013 committee stage |
| 18 March 2013 - 18 June 2013 (1 day per week) | Christopher Leslie | £18,144.00 | The services of a Technical Support Analyst to support me in my role as Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Finance Bill 2013 committee stage |
| 18 March 2013 - 18 June 2013 | Catherine McKinnell | £18,144.00 | The services of a Technical Support Analyst to support me in my role as a Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Finance Bill |
| 16 September 2013 - 17 January 2014 | Chuka Umunna | £31,500.00 | Services of a research assistant ... to support me as Shadow Secretary of State for business and my team |
| 10 March 2014 - 20 June 2014 | Ed Balls | £18,375.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
| 10 March 2014 - 10 October 2014 | Tessa Jowell | £54,250.00 (shared with another MP (assumed to be Jim Murphy)) | Services of a research assistant ... to support me in my work on the global campaign on early childhood intervention and on the use of sport in international development |
| 10 March 2014 - 2 November 2014 | Jim Murphy | £29,435 (shared with another MP (assumed to be Tessa Jowell)) | Services of a research assistant ... to support me as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development |
| 1 April 2014 - 22 July 2014 | John Healey | £32,670.00 | Services of a research officer ... to assist me with policy analysis on housing and housing benefit |
| 22 April 2014 - 2 July 2014 | Cathy Jamieson | £19,026.00 | The services of a Technical Support Analyst to support me in my role as a Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Finance Bill |
| 22 April 2014 - 2 July 2014 | Shabana Mahmood | £19,026.00 | The services of a Technical Support Analyst to support me in my role as a Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Finance Bill |
| 22 April 2014 - 2 July 2014 | Catherine McKinnell | £19,026.00 | The services of a Technical Support Analyst to support me in my role as a Shadow Treasury Minister during the passage of the Finance Bill |
| 9 June 2014 - 5 September 2014 (5 days per week) | Chuka Umunna | £32,050.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst ... relates to time spent working with the Shadow Secretary of State for Business and his team |
| 23 June 2014 - 31 December 2014 | Tristram Hunt | £74,655.00 | Services of a research assistant |
| 9 July 2014 - 3 October 2014 | Ed Balls | £16,492.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
| 8 September 2014 - 18 December 2014 (5 days a week) | Chuka Umunna | £36,000.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst ... relates to time spent working with the Shadow Secretary of State for Business and his team |
| 10 October 2014 - 31 March 2015 | Tessa Jowell | £27,720.00 (shared with another MP) | Services of a research assistant ... to support me in my work on the global campaign on early childhood intervention, on the use of sport in international development and other general research |
| 20 October 2014 - 31 March 2014 | Rachel Reeves | £63,045.00 | Analyst to support me in my role as Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary |
| 10 November 2014 - 1 May 2015 | Ian Murray | £45,000.00 | The services of a research assistant, received via the Labour Party, to support me in my role at the Independent Export Commission |
| 21 November 2014 - 27 March 2015 | Ed Balls | £29,295.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
| 19 January 2015 - 27 March 2015 | Tristram Hunt | £26,250.00 | Services of a research assistant |
| 12 March 2015 - 30 March 2015 | Ed Balls | £16,695.00 | The services of a research assistant/analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
APPGs
- Donated £8000.00 in March 2015 to the All-Party Parliamentary Corporate Governance Group[2]
- Provide consultancy services and background briefings to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Insurance and Financial Services[3]
KPMG
Conservative Party
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 30/03/2012 | £19,500.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2012 | £12,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2013 | £1,223.50 | Non-cash sponsorship |
| 30/09/2013 | £8,600.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2013 | £3,635.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2014 | £19,277.20 | Staff costs |
Liberal Democrats
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 30/06/2010 | £9,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2011 | £17,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2011 | £9,154.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2012 | £22,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2012 | £22,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2012 | £19,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2012 | £22,000.00 | Non-cash, other |
| 30/09/2013 | £10,975.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2013 | £5,452.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2014 | £8,560.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2014 | £8,560.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2014 | £13,085.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2014 | £12,375.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/03/2015 | £12,375.00 | Consultancy services |
Labour Party
Party donations
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 07/05/2010 | £8,300.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2010 | £5,875.00 | Staff costs |
| 18/10/2010 | £740.00 | Cash donation |
| 31/12/2010 | £17,625.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2011 | £17,625.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2011 | £17,625.00 | Staff costs |
| 14/09/2011 | £1,200.00 | Cash donation |
| 30/09/2011 | £17,625.00 | Staff costs |
| 28/06/2012 | £8,500.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2012 | £3,833.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2013 | £11,650.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2013 | £11,650.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2013 | £41,650.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2013 | £30,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/03/2014 | £30,000.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/06/2014 | £38,875.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2014 | £54,019.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2014 | £1,575.00 | Staff costs |
Personal donations
| Date(s) | Person | Amount | Nature of donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2014 - 28 February 2015 | Vernon Coaker | £13,039 | The services of an analyst to support me in my opposition front bench role |
APPGs
- A sponsor (financial or otherwise) of the All Party Parliamentary Extractive Industry Group (now the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Mining)[4][5]
Deloitte
Conservative Party
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 30/06/2010 | £75,555.06 | Staff costs |
| 15/09/2010 | £8,000.00 | Cash donation |
Liberal Democrats
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 30/09/2014 | £20,000.00 | Consultancy services |
Labour Party
Party donations
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|---|---|
| 30/06/2014 | £43,537.00 | Staff costs |
| 30/09/2014 | £44,941.00 | Staff costs |
| 31/12/2014 | £77,287.00 | Staff costs |
Personal donations
| Date(s) | Person | Amount | Nature of donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| From 22 April 2013 (1 day a week) | Iain Wright | £2,000.00 | Secondment ... working solely on a specific development project for me in my capacity as Shadow Minister for Competitiveness and Enterprise |
| 6 January 2014 - 16 January 2014 | Luciana Berger | £4,726.76 | The services of a research analyst to support me in my capacity as Shadow Minister for Public Health |
| 21 October 2014 - 28 February 2015 | Kate Green | £90,000.00 + VAT and expenses | Secondment of analyst to support me in my role as shadow work and pensions minister |
| 1 December 2014 - 31 March 2015 | Ivan Lewis | £6,300.00 | The services of an administrator to support me in my Shadow Cabinet role by assisting with the Heenan-Anderson Commission |
Ernst and Young
Conservative Party
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|
Liberal Democrats
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|
Labour Party
| Date | Amount | Nature/provision |
|---|
APPGs
- Donated £2,500.00 in April 2014 and £5,000.00 in December 2014 to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Parliament[6]
Resources
- Electoral Commission Search the register.
- Carlos Martin Tornero, Labour to win, if Big Four donation patterns become self-fulfilling prophecy The Accountant, 5 May 2015.
- Maeve McClenaghan, How ‘big four’ get inside track by loaning staff to government Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 10 July 2012.
- Parliament Publications The Register of Members' Financial Interests
- Parliament Publications Register Of All-Party Groups [as at 30 March 2015]
Notes
- ↑ Carlos Martin Tornero Political donations are a way of influencing policy and buying influence: Austin Mitchell former MP The Accountant, 22 May 2015, accessed 26 May 2015.
- ↑ Parliament Publications All-Party Parliamentary Corporate Governance Group, accessed 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Parliament Publications All-Party Parliamentary Group on Insurance and Financial Services, accessed 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Extractive Industry APPG EI, accessed 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Mining in Parliament We have changed our name, accessed 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Parliament Publications All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Parliament, accessed 3 June 2015.
