TG shuns ‘big money’ and looks to crowdfund election campaign

Together Gibraltar has called on the public to help fund its election campaign in a move that party leader Marlene Hassan Nahon insisted would keep “big money” out of politics.

In a video message launching the crowd funding-type initiative ahead of the forthcoming elections, Ms Hassan Nahon said: “If we want a government that is truly by the people for the people, we need to keep big money out of politics.”

“Please help us to raise money for our campaign costs,” the Independent MP said.

According to the video in supporting the party voters will in return get policies such as halting luxury developments with greater focus on Gibraltar’s ‘real’ housing needs, modern maternity and paternity leave arrangements, reproductive freedom of choice and a green transport system.

The unprecedented move comes as the Equality Rights Group called for more public scrutiny into how political parties are funded.

In a statement the pressure group said political parties “keep avoiding going public over who donates and finances their party organisations, campaigns, and their individual politicians”.

According to the ERG donors and donations have influenced Gibraltar’s politics in the shadows for far too long.

Whilst political donations are licit the group said they have to be conducted in the full light of public scrutiny.

“It is time citizens in this community were fully apprised of this activity.”

The group said that in other countries there are clear rules about lobbying, about donations, and about the kind of influence non-elected individuals can exercise in the back-channels of political life.

“The public deserves and needs to know how this business is conducted in clear, explicit and named terms. There must be no more hidden faces,” it said.