West Midlands: Your comments...

Nick Watson The Politics Show West Midlands

Here are just some of the comments on the latest programme - you can still send more using the e-mail form below...

Political funding needs to be totally open. it is important that this involves loans as well as donations. it is also important to cap the spending of political parties at elections, this will mean parties will have to work harder at a local level.
Russell Timmis, Stoke on Trent

I think it matters not how the major parties are funded from now on. The people have seen through them. Single issue parties and hung Parliaments are the future.
Mike Cooke,UK

If a political party can't fund it's activities from its members it doesn't deserve to survive. All business, and trade union contributions should be abolished, and all the parties would then have to work within much more sensible budgets.
Richard Edwards, England

Money will always influcnce politics if the parties are funded by taxes a least we will know who is funding our decision makers
Clive King, Worcestershire

And your telephone calls...

I oppose the idea of state funding for political parties. We already pay far too much tax. I think it would be a political suicide at a time when so few people bother to vote anyway. Politicians would disillusion people even more by making them pay for political campaigns. I hope that all political parties will turn down any such ideas proposed by the Parliament.
John, Nuneaton

I don't believe political parties should be sponsored by a tax payer. They should stand on their own two feet and raise their own funds in a straightforward manner. It seems ridiculous that we have to pay for everything. MPs and people turning to MPs should be funded from their own resources and if they become elected they are substantially rewarded for their services.
Denise, Shropshire

I think each party should have the same amount of money allocated from the state fund and no private donations should be allowed so that the politics would become fair and more importantly impartial.
Chris, Gloucestershire

There is absolotuely no way that state should fund politics. We need taxes to be spent on other things. Political parties should fund themselves. .
Steve, Staffordshire

It would be fair enough if this money was spent on politics not on politicians staying in hotels and living luxurious lives. Let them find the money themselves if they want to stay in posh hotels. If they want to be politicians they should know how to find the money anyway.
Mrs Hodday, Redditch

I think political parties should be funded by taxation, direct or indirect.
Christopher, Birmingham

I disagree with people buying votes and opinions and this is what happens when rich people sponsor political parties.What I would suggest is that the only money that is spent is limited to £500 and the rest of it must be given in amounts of no more than £10 and limited to £5000 altogether rather than wasting tax payers money again.
Richard, Staffordshire

I don't really care who gives money to the political parties to enable them to function. What I do care about is reasons to be given the money. Politicians should do more for the community and help more before they can be given any money.
Margaret, Stafford

The Politics Show

Join the Politics Show team... Sunday 15 October 2006 at 12:00 BST on BBC One.

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If you have an issue you would like us to follow up then please write to Nick Watson, BBC Politics Show Midlands, The Mailbox, Birmingham, B1 1RF or email [e-mail]

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