Political donations: Belfast City councillors back call to name donors

Belfast City Council passed the Alliance motion at a meeting on Tuesday night

Belfast City councillors have voted in support of a call to reveal the names of those who make large donations to Northern Ireland politicians.

The Alliance Party motion was passed by 38 votes in favour to 13 against.

Unlike in the rest of the UK, Stormont parties are not required to reveal where their funding comes from, due to concerns about the security of donors.

Alliance wants NI to be brought in line with Great Britain where names of those who donate over £7,500 are published.

'No power to compel'

The motion was proposed by Alliance councillor Kate Nicholl at meeting of the council on Tuesday evening.

It was supported by councillors from Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Green Party, the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).

It was opposed by members of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).

"Increasing openness and transparency in politics can only be a good thing, particularly in the current climate," Ms Nicholl said.

"It was disappointing to see the DUP and UUP voting against this evening's motion, which sought to make politics more publicly accountable, and they will have to answer to the public as to why they did just that.

"However, it is vital all parties now follow through with the pledge of this motion. Although Belfast City Council has no statutory powers to compel parties to reveal their donors, all local parties should follow Alliance's example and provide the public with information to help restore confidence in politics across the board."

When she was an MP, Alliance leader Naomi Long secured legislative change that paved the way for the possible future identification of donors who contributed more than £7,500 since January 2014.

Alliance leader Naomi Long said it was time for parties to "open their books to the public"

However, the names can only be published if Northern Ireland's secretary of state agrees to lift an exemption.

Speaking to the BBC's Evening Extra programme ahead of the vote, Mrs Long said there was no problem with political parties accepting donations, but that the Northern Ireland public should be given the same transparency as those in the rest of the UK.

She said it was time for parties to "open their books to the public".

"Historically Northern Irish political parties have been exempt from the rule due to security reasons," she said.

"Up until this point, a number of parties have argued that historical security concerns still stand, but in its manifesto for 2016, the DUP said it supported a lifting of the exemption."

The Alliance Party currently voluntarily publishes large donations.