What if we told you that the often overlooked aspect of party finance plays a critical role in shaping British politics? As we dive into the historical landscape of political funding, our guest Justin Fisher from Brunel University brings his 35 years of expertise in political science to help us unravel the complexities and motivations behind political donations. Throughout the episode, we examine the roles of trade unions, businesses, and individual contributions in shaping the political landscape and highlight the major differences between how the Conservative and Labour parties have been financed over the years. Furthermore, we tackle the subject of transparency in political finance and its implications on public trust. In the final part of our conversation, we venture into the topic of greater state funding for political parties, weighing the pros and cons of such a model and how it could be implemented. To learn more about Justin and his research you can find him at Professor Justin Fisher | Introduction | Brunel University London. We hope you enjoy the podcast!