Defending Democracy
National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
Open
Inquiry
Opened: 24 Feb 2025
Parliament page
20
Recommendations
3
Conclusions
1
Report
4
Oral sessions
11
Letters
4
Events
Activity timeline 17 events
15 Jul
2026
2026
23 Jun
2026
2026
18 Mar
2026
2026
Report published
16 Mar
2026
2026
16 Mar
2026
2026
24 Feb
2026
2026
9 Feb
2026
2026
Oral evidence
9 Feb
2026
2026
12 Jan
2026
2026
Oral evidence
21 Oct
2025
2025
8 Sep
2025
2025
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
9 Feb 2026
View on parliament.uk
Graeme Biggar CBE · National Crime Agency
Rachael Herbert · National Crime Agency
12 Jan 2026
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Dr Sam Power · University of Bristol
Duncan Hames · Transparency International UK
Natasha Powell · Kraken Digital Asset Exchange
Tom Keatinge · RUSI
8 Sep 2025
View on parliament.uk
The NSS - Political finance (inc. crypto)
Dr Susan Hawley · Spotlight on Corruption
Ian Taylor · CryptoUK
Jackie Killeen · Electoral Commission
Peter Geoghegan · openDemocracy
Vijay Rangarajan · Electoral Commission
17 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Defending Democracy
Dan Jarvis MP · Home Office
Nanyamka Brown · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Shaun Hipgrave · Home Office
The Baroness Jones of Whitchurch · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Report - Political finance and foreign influence | HC 720 | 18 Mar 2026 | 23 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
1
Recommendation
Deferred
3rd Report - Political finance and…
The risk of foreign influence in the UK’s political finance system is real.
The risk of foreign influence in the UK’s political finance system is real. We believe the threat is likely to grow out to the next election, particularly as the value of influencing the UK’s position on international policy increases. The …
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Government Response
The government acknowledges the report's concerns and states that its comprehensive response, detailing actions to strengthen safeguards against foreign interference in political finance, has been published in response to the Rycroft Review.
Cabinet Office
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16
Recommendation
Deferred
3rd Report - Political finance and…
The Government should amend the Representation of the People Bill to increase maximum custodial sentences...
The Government should amend the Representation of the People Bill to increase maximum custodial sentences to three years for the most serious breaches of political finance laws involving impermissible foreign money. This would improve deterrence and also enable law enforcement …
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Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of the issue but states that increasing maximum custodial sentences raises complex issues that cannot be fully developed within the Representation of the People Bill's timeframes, committing instead to further analysis and targeted consultation.
Cabinet Office
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Correspondence 11 letters
23 Jun 2026
The Electoral Commission's response to the Committee's report on political finance and foreign influence, dated 20 May 2026
Parliament page
16 Mar 2026
To committee
Response from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to political finance, dated 9 March
Parliament page
16 Mar 2026
From committee
Letter to the Commissioner, Metropolitan Police relating to Political finance, dated 12 February, and their response, dated 5 March 2026
Parliament page
24 Feb 2026
To committee
Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to political finance, dated 23 February 2026
Parliament page
9 Feb 2026
To committee
Letter from the Chair to Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive, Electoral Commission, dated 21 January 2026, relating to political finance, and the response, dated 5 February 2026
Parliament page
21 Oct 2025
Correspondence from Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister relating to the Defending Democracy Taskforce, dated 15 October 2025
Parliament page
17 Jul 2025
Correspondence to Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister relating to the Defending Democracy Taskforce, dated 16 July 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025
From committee
Letter to Ofcom on Defending Democracy and the Online Safety Act, dated 28 March 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025
To committee
Letter from Ofcom on Defending Democracy and the Online Safety Act, dated 23 April 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025
Correspondence to Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister following oral evidence held on 17 March on Defending Democracy, dated 28 March 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025
Correspondence from Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister following oral evidence held on 17 March on Defending Democracy, dated 16 April 2025
Parliament page