British Labour lawmakers have called for a ban on political donations in cryptocurrencies, citing foreign interference concerns.
CoinDesk reported on Sunday that 7 lawmakers, including Liam Byrne, Emily Thornberry and Matt Western, sent an open letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning that crypto donations threaten political transparency.
They said cryptocurrencies are difficult to trace and vulnerable to interference by foreign actors. They urged the government to include a ban on crypto donations in amendments to election law.
The letter cited an information report released by the U.S. State Department in 2022, claiming Russia used cryptocurrencies to interfere in elections around the world.
In Britain, crypto donations are currently allowed but must meet the same eligibility requirements as existing political donations.
This is not the first time Byrne has called for a ban on crypto political donations. He made the same argument in a Guardian opinion piece in July last year and used the latest letter to raise the warning again.
Chi-gyu Hwang
delight@d-today.co.kr