POLITICS will be “cleaned up” by a Labour government with new measures such as regulations on lobbyists and a ban on donations of “dark money.”

The party pledged sweeping changes to the political system today ahead of next week’s general election.

Jon Trickett, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, said that politics was “in serious danger of becoming a playground for the rich and powerful” under the Tories.

He added: “This is very worrying for our democracy. The rules that are supposed to prevent this are completely ineffective. The time for their replacement is long overdue.”

Labour’s changes would include a ban on MPs having paid second jobs and would block political donations from those not domiciled in the UK for tax purposes, as well as from tax evaders.

It also plans to prevent donations from “shell” companies, used to hide true sources of money, and to force private companies that donate to declare who has ultimate beneficial ownership.

Political parties would also be required to publish the names of donors giving more then £7,500 in a calendar year who also attend the party’s events in the same year, when a purpose of that event is to engage donors.

Labour said this will end the secrecy of donation clubs like the Conservative Party’s Leader’s Group, which allows donors to rub shoulders with senior Tories at lunches, dinners, drinks, and campaign launches for an annual membership fee of £50,000.

The party also intends to set up a lobby register to cover the millions of pounds’ worth of corporate lobbying by in-house lobbyists and think-tanks that fall outside existing lobbying laws.