Burnham drops support for political donation cap after Labour's union paymasters warn it would limit their funding for his party

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 05:36 EDT, 27 August 2026 | Updated: 05:58 EDT, 27 August 2026 Andy Burnham has reportedly pulled his support for a cap on political donations after lobbying from Labour's union paymasters.The Prime Minister said he supported a £500,000 limit when he was campaigning to return to Westminster in May, amid a row over a huge cash gift for Reform from billionaire donor Christopher Harborne.In an email he told Shaun Bowler, the founder of the grassroots WakeUpGB group that such a cap 'would guard against the perception of any one party being unduly influenced or swayed by one person or organisation'.But he is said to have now now dropped his support for amending the Elections Bill after lobbying from unions who give Labour millions of pounds.The GMB, which has handed over more than £2.4million to various arms of the party since the start of 2025, said a cap would have 'significant unintended consequences'.Last week it was also revealed Mr Burnham received donations worth more than £325,000 in the three months before he entered No 10.Transparency data showed prominent Labour donor Lord Sainsbury, party grandee Lord Blunkett and former Greater Manchester night-time economy tsar Sacha Lord were among those who gave financial backing between May and July. The Prime Minister said he supported a £500,000 limit when he was campaigning to return to Westminster in May It came amid a row over a huge cash gift for Reform from billionaire donor Christopher HarborneMr Bowler told the Guardian: 'Andy Burnham promised me a proper cap on political donations and a 'wholesale culture change' in Westminster. If his government now refuses to back a donations cap, then he has broken the promise he made to me – and to voters.'I wanted to believe the positive message he gave me. I wanted to believe that someone was finally going to take on the culture that has left so many people feeling that their voices don't matter and that wealthy people can buy influence over our government.'But words mean nothing if they disappear the moment power is won. Large political donations are not democratic. They create influence, whether politicians want to admit it or not. The prime minister has one chance to start rebuilding trust: the representation of the people act.'He told me he wanted change. Now he needs to keep his promise and act.'The Government had already announced a £100,000 annual cap on donations from overseas backdated to March 25 and this will now also apply for the first year of someone's time in the UK.But unions opposed a domestic cap. The GMB, in a letter to MPs last month, claimed: 'Trade unions are already subject to a level of statutory regulation over political expenditure that no other membership organisations face. 'Political funds are governed by legislation, members have clear rights to opt out, and unions are subject to extensive transparency and reporting requirements.'Affiliation arrangements are also fundamentally different from political donations and should not be treated as though they are the same.'