Who’s bankrolling the Tory Party?

Greedy Conservatives have received more donations this year than all the other political parties combined, new figures from the Electoral Commission show.

Of the almost £12m reported to the commission between January and March this year, £6.7m – more than half donated from wealthy individuals – went to the Tories, a situation which is causing big business interests to be put ahead of working people’s, Unite said.

Labour received ÂŁ3.7m, the Liberal Democrats gained ÂŁ529,000 and UKIP netted ÂŁ187,080.

The Tories’ biggest donors include Lycamobile UK Ltd, which provided £569,300, and financier Alexander Fraser, who gave £258,000.

Mining magnet Sir Mick Davis gifted £252,500 – less than a year after he was knighted.

In comparison, Labour received around ÂŁ2.5m from the largest trade unions, a movement which represents the interests of 6.4m people across the UK.

Unite political officer Kate Purcell said the undemocratic disparities will only increase, as the Conservatives try to force through anti-trade union legislation that restricts funding for the Labour Party, whilst leaving access to their own incredibly wealthy donors unfettered.

“The figures show how the super rich bankroll the Tory Party. That’s why the Tories look after big business interests at the expense of ordinary working people,” she said.

“The disparity will get worse when we see the Trade Union Act start to bite. It was designed to limit the trade unions’ ability to donate to and support the Labour Party.

“Yet the Tories have done nothing to limit donations from multi-millionaires. This is creating a massive imbalance in the political system which is being stacked in favour of the current government.”

Labour said that a group of 54 wealthy donors – known as the “Leaders Group” – bankrolled just over half of the Tories war chest.

“People are unlikely to be shocked by the figures released today which show the Conservative Party is reliant on a small group of wealthy donors for its funding,” said Labour MP Jess Phillips.

“Tory cuts to Universal Credit will leave more than two million families an average of £1,600 a year worse off but David Cameron and his ministers have cut taxes for those at the very top. Typical.”