Alex Parsons
@alexparsons.bsky.social
Democracy Programme Lead / Senior Researcher - mySociety/TheyWorkForYou. Also for some reason Postman Pat reviews.
Pinned
Alex Parsons
@alexparsons.bsky.social
· Mar 4
WhoFundsThem
Building better information about money in politics.
whofundsthem.com
Today we've added some new features to TheyWorkForYou and launched an accompanying report about money in politics. See more at whofundsthem.com
Yeah, there's stuff around written questions for instance that only make sense as "I ask a question that gets an empty answer and got a nice ticket out of it, I'm savvy" - but the value in the long run to the industry is relational rather than transactional.
February 14, 2026 at 11:18 AM
Yeah, there's stuff around written questions for instance that only make sense as "I ask a question that gets an empty answer and got a nice ticket out of it, I'm savvy" - but the value in the long run to the industry is relational rather than transactional.
While we're doing gambling chat this morning
It'd be useful if MPs wanted to articulate "legitimate hospitality" a bit more. Otherwise it kind of seems like "MPs need to visit local businesses sometimes" in practice is justifying "foreign gambling companies can give you nice days out".
A few freebies in the gift section, but going to pick on this international gift from Paddy Power to go to World Darts competition www.theyworkforyou.com/interests/ca...
February 14, 2026 at 10:56 AM
While we're doing gambling chat this morning
The thinking behind this www.mysociety.org/2025/10/21/s...
New to TheyWorkForYou: Signatures
Building data pipelines for better information about MPs interests.
www.mysociety.org
February 13, 2026 at 1:20 PM
The thinking behind this www.mysociety.org/2025/10/21/s...
A reminder we now catalog open letters for TheyWorkForYou profiles
New open letter added votes.theyworkforyou.com/statement/co...
February 13, 2026 at 1:20 PM
A reminder we now catalog open letters for TheyWorkForYou profiles
It's a small part of the issue, but that the Palestine Action vote was combined with the proscription of two other organisations harmed parliamentary scrutiny of the SI. One lesson from this should adopting the Bingham Centre recommendation for one-org-per-order.
Yes, given that SIs can't be amended, requiring one-org-per-order would be appropriate.
February 13, 2026 at 12:56 PM
It's a small part of the issue, but that the Palestine Action vote was combined with the proscription of two other organisations harmed parliamentary scrutiny of the SI. One lesson from this should adopting the Bingham Centre recommendation for one-org-per-order.
Reposted by Alex Parsons
Fascinating- under current rules, all ministers' meetings should be registered. And all consultant lobbyists, like Global Counsel, have to register with the official Registrar and declare all instances of lobbying ministers and perm secs.
So is this acceptance that the current schemes don't work?
So is this acceptance that the current schemes don't work?
Exclusive:
Ministers and civil servants have been told to report any future conversations with Global Counsel, the lobbying firm co-founded by Lord Peter Mandelson, in the latest fallout from his ties to Jeffrey Epstein
www.ft.com/content/124e...
Ministers and civil servants have been told to report any future conversations with Global Counsel, the lobbying firm co-founded by Lord Peter Mandelson, in the latest fallout from his ties to Jeffrey Epstein
www.ft.com/content/124e...
Whitehall told to report conversations with Mandelson lobbying firm
Guidance on Global Counsel is latest fallout from ties between former minister and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
www.ft.com
February 13, 2026 at 9:19 AM
Fascinating- under current rules, all ministers' meetings should be registered. And all consultant lobbyists, like Global Counsel, have to register with the official Registrar and declare all instances of lobbying ministers and perm secs.
So is this acceptance that the current schemes don't work?
So is this acceptance that the current schemes don't work?
Reposted by Alex Parsons
The Tony Blair Institute out there today calling for more oil and gas drilling in an absolute gift for Farage and Badenoch. Government will be forgiven for thinking, with friends like these... www.businessgreen.com/news/4525624...
Government hits back at Tony Blair Institute call to ditch clean power targets
Think tank calls for 'energy strategy reset' to permit more drilling in the North Sea and drop clean power by 2030 goal, sparking criticism from government and analysts
www.businessgreen.com
February 13, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The Tony Blair Institute out there today calling for more oil and gas drilling in an absolute gift for Farage and Badenoch. Government will be forgiven for thinking, with friends like these... www.businessgreen.com/news/4525624...
I think about how it's weird there wasn't an episode where the gang goes bowling. Wouldn't be a great episode, but a solid 6/10. Chandler's never done it, etc
February 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM
I think about how it's weird there wasn't an episode where the gang goes bowling. Wouldn't be a great episode, but a solid 6/10. Chandler's never done it, etc
Reposted by Alex Parsons
Where I talk about the good things in The Elections Bill for @democracyclub.org.uk, and some areas I think need work in order to de-risk the legislation being too ridged
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2026/02...
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2026/02...
The elections bill is excellent for data on elections
The elections bill has the possibility to transform the way that election data works in the UK.
democracyclub.org.uk
February 12, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Where I talk about the good things in The Elections Bill for @democracyclub.org.uk, and some areas I think need work in order to de-risk the legislation being too ridged
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2026/02...
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2026/02...
And my view is the donor cap discussion gets blocked a bit around what it implies about public funding (which is several big things to add to the scope!). But also if you don't fix the problems, you still have the problems.
research.mysociety.org/html/beyond-...
research.mysociety.org/html/beyond-...
Excerpt from: Beyond Transparency
Practical steps to improve data quality and fix the wider environment
research.mysociety.org
February 12, 2026 at 4:21 PM
And my view is the donor cap discussion gets blocked a bit around what it implies about public funding (which is several big things to add to the scope!). But also if you don't fix the problems, you still have the problems.
research.mysociety.org/html/beyond-...
research.mysociety.org/html/beyond-...
So one of the dynamics here is a) it's good to add bits to this bill to reduce foreign influence and b) it's very hard to *effectively* reduce foreign influence without much stronger controls on UK money in politics.
This is obviously better than nothing, but is not a "very low" threshold! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
February 12, 2026 at 4:03 PM
So one of the dynamics here is a) it's good to add bits to this bill to reduce foreign influence and b) it's very hard to *effectively* reduce foreign influence without much stronger controls on UK money in politics.
Reposted by Alex Parsons
The draft significant control test for companies making political donations is set out from page 73 onwards publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbi...
February 12, 2026 at 2:23 PM
The draft significant control test for companies making political donations is set out from page 73 onwards publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbi...
I'm open to there being principled reasons why MPs should have looser rules - but it does need someone to actually say what those reasons are.
February 12, 2026 at 1:48 PM
I'm open to there being principled reasons why MPs should have looser rules - but it does need someone to actually say what those reasons are.
It'd be useful if MPs wanted to articulate "legitimate hospitality" a bit more. Otherwise it kind of seems like "MPs need to visit local businesses sometimes" in practice is justifying "foreign gambling companies can give you nice days out".
A few freebies in the gift section, but going to pick on this international gift from Paddy Power to go to World Darts competition www.theyworkforyou.com/interests/ca...
February 12, 2026 at 1:45 PM
It'd be useful if MPs wanted to articulate "legitimate hospitality" a bit more. Otherwise it kind of seems like "MPs need to visit local businesses sometimes" in practice is justifying "foreign gambling companies can give you nice days out".
So this is interesting in being a defence of "legitimate hospitality" and how laxer rules around gifts for MPs can be justified - part of their community role www.gov.uk/government/p...
February 12, 2026 at 1:40 PM
So this is interesting in being a defence of "legitimate hospitality" and how laxer rules around gifts for MPs can be justified - part of their community role www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Alex Parsons
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Join us at Birkbeck College, London & online for
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Sign up now: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo...
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FOI Fest 2026
Thu, Feb. 19, 2026
pretix.eu
February 12, 2026 at 10:10 AM
🚨 ONE WEEK TODAY 🚨
Join us at Birkbeck College, London & online for
FOI FEST 2026
- Keynotes from ICO & Scottish Info Commissioner, followed by discussion
- Lightning talks
- Skills sessions
Sign up now: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo...
And for FOI Network updates: www.mysociety.org/transparency...
Join us at Birkbeck College, London & online for
FOI FEST 2026
- Keynotes from ICO & Scottish Info Commissioner, followed by discussion
- Lightning talks
- Skills sessions
Sign up now: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo...
And for FOI Network updates: www.mysociety.org/transparency...
I think the reading of this is it's closing the new loophole you'd get if you banned donations but *not* hospitality over the declaration threshold - but doesn't really change that Parliament has a very weak approach to regulating gifts and hospitality.
February 12, 2026 at 10:30 AM
I think the reading of this is it's closing the new loophole you'd get if you banned donations but *not* hospitality over the declaration threshold - but doesn't really change that Parliament has a very weak approach to regulating gifts and hospitality.
Where a ban from foreign *states* giving hospitality would have impact is the visits outside the UK section - but it's unclear if that's covered here (will update later) data.mysociety.org/datasette/?m...
Datasette
data.mysociety.org
February 12, 2026 at 10:18 AM
Where a ban from foreign *states* giving hospitality would have impact is the visits outside the UK section - but it's unclear if that's covered here (will update later) data.mysociety.org/datasette/?m...
So this is not a "it's bad when MPs take money from foreign gambling companies" rule change bsky.app/profile/alex...
Related story from last year (same gift, different MPs) www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
February 12, 2026 at 10:16 AM
So this is not a "it's bad when MPs take money from foreign gambling companies" rule change bsky.app/profile/alex...
Here is the current register (things declared in last year), for non-UK gifts and benefits, where a) there aren't many of these b) very few are above the threshold data.mysociety.org/datasette/?m...
February 12, 2026 at 10:14 AM
Here is the current register (things declared in last year), for non-UK gifts and benefits, where a) there aren't many of these b) very few are above the threshold data.mysociety.org/datasette/?m...
So what would be caught by this? There are two relevant sections in the register of members interests, "gifts and benefits from sources outside the UK" and "visits outside the UK" (which is often, but not always a foreign source).
February 12, 2026 at 10:10 AM
So what would be caught by this? There are two relevant sections in the register of members interests, "gifts and benefits from sources outside the UK" and "visits outside the UK" (which is often, but not always a foreign source).
In any other part of the public sector, the idea that you might personally be able to receive a gift from a foreign company up to £2,000 and that's *fine* would be comically lax. research.mysociety.org/html/beyond-...
Excerpt from: Beyond Transparency
Practical steps to improve data quality and fix the wider environment
research.mysociety.org
February 12, 2026 at 9:27 AM
In any other part of the public sector, the idea that you might personally be able to receive a gift from a foreign company up to £2,000 and that's *fine* would be comically lax. research.mysociety.org/html/beyond-...
This is obviously better than nothing, but is not a "very low" threshold! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
February 12, 2026 at 9:25 AM
This is obviously better than nothing, but is not a "very low" threshold! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Alex Parsons
In-person tickets for FOI Fest have almost sold out, so act now if you are hoping to join us in London: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo... (online spaces are limitless, but still a good idea to book now while you're thinking of it!). #FOI #freedomofinformation
February 10, 2026 at 9:32 AM
In-person tickets for FOI Fest have almost sold out, so act now if you are hoping to join us in London: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo... (online spaces are limitless, but still a good idea to book now while you're thinking of it!). #FOI #freedomofinformation
Reposted by Alex Parsons
6 years since letting agents were BANNED from charging renters admin fees, Foxtons is still 'accidentally' charging £200 for checking out.
Read what we thought of this below:
www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/buytol...
Read what we thought of this below:
www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/buytol...
Did Foxtons try to charge me an illegal £200 check-out fee on my flat?
The thing is, such charges are unlawful, and have been for the last six years, since the Tenant Fees Act of 2019 was implemented.
www.thisismoney.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 3:22 PM
6 years since letting agents were BANNED from charging renters admin fees, Foxtons is still 'accidentally' charging £200 for checking out.
Read what we thought of this below:
www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/buytol...
Read what we thought of this below:
www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/buytol...