Bitter Sweet Victory for Transparency Campaigners
The Northern Ireland Open Government Network welcome the intention to create transparency around donations, but are very disappointed that only donations from 1st July 2017 will be published. This goes against the agreement that all donations from January 2014 would be published.
Although we welcome the opening of party political donations and see this as a victory for citizens who have been campaigning on this issue for years, it is a bitter sweet victory. Not backdating the publication of donations feeds the scepticism of many people who feel that some local parties have something to hide and that the UK government is complicit in this secrecy.
Colm Burns
NI Open Government Network Chairperson