The Committee on Standards in Public Life has appointed Justin Fisher, Professor of Political Science at Brunel University and Director of the Magna Carta Institute, as an advisor to its enquiry into party political funding.
Professor Fisher, along with two other academic experts, will advise the Committee on the wide range of issues being considered for this inquiry, including how political parties (both nationally and locally) raise their finance and how they spend it, the increasing role of third parties in political finance, and comparisons with models of political funding used in other countries.
Chairman of the Committee, Sir Christopher Kelly, said: "The Committee are keen to draw on academic expertise to inform its understanding of the issues, ensure that our final report has a sound factual base and that any potential recommendations we might make are feasible."
Professor Fisher has previously acted as an advisor to the Hayden Phillips Review of Party Finance, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Electoral Commission, the Public Administration Select Committee, and the Council of Europe, as well as appearing before numerous parliamentary committees.
More recently, he played a leading role in the analysis of the campaigns, issues and outcomes of the 2010 General Election and provided regular commentary for the media in the election run-up and aftermath.
Professor Fisher said: "I am delighted to be invited to be an advisor for this review. The appointment really demonstrates how academic work can have a considerable impact on public policy."