{ "id": 61851, "date": "2026-02-26T09:26:31", "date_gmt": "2026-02-26T02:26:31", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/hbbgroup.net\/uk-security-committee-chair-urges-temp-ban-on-crypto-political-donations\/" }, "modified": "2026-02-26T09:26:31", "modified_gmt": "2026-02-26T02:26:31", "slug": "uk-security-committee-chair-urges-temp-ban-on-crypto-political-donations", "status": "publish", "type": "post", "link": "https:\/\/hbbgroup.net\/en_us\/uk-security-committee-chair-urges-temp-ban-on-crypto-political-donations\/", "title": { "rendered": "UK security committee chair urges temp ban on crypto political donations" }, "content": { "rendered": "
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Matt Western, chair of the UK’s Joint Committee on National Security Strategy, has urged the government to put a temporary halt on crypto donations to political parties, citing concerns over foreign interference.<\/p>\n

In his Monday letter to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Western recommended<\/a> adding a \u201ctemporary moratorium\u201d on crypto donations<\/a> to the upcoming Representation of the People Bill. The moratorium would be lifted once the Electoral Commission issues statutory guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are concerned that foreign state intent to interfere in UK political finance may grow out to the next election,\u201d Western said. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs the security environment worsens and the UK\u2019s military role in Europe grows, the value of influencing the UK\u2019s political positions, for example on Ukraine, or US\/EU relations, is likely to increase,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Matt Western\u2019s letter to Steve Reed. Source: <\/em>UK Parliament\u00a0<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In January, a group of MPs who chair parliamentary committees \u2014 including Western \u2014 advocated for a full ban on crypto donations<\/a> to be included in the Representation of the People Bill, warning that foreign states could use such payments to influence UK politics. However, the bill didn’t include a full ban when it was introduced to the House of Commons on Feb. 12. <\/p>\n

Ban funds from crypto mixers and anonymous sources<\/h2>\n

Western argued that the Electoral Commission\u2019s guidance should require political parties to use only crypto services registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, the UK\u2019s financial services regulator.<\/p>\n

Donations that involve the upstream use of mixers<\/a> or come from an unknown source should be prohibited, according to Western, and political parties that receive crypto should convert it to fiat within 48 hours of receipt.<\/p>\n