<ul class="summary-list"><li>22 Tory donors signed a letter backing <keyword id="11911533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson" source="Orion">Boris Johnson</keyword> before the vote of confidence he won 211-148.</li><li>New figures show the donors or close family members gave £2.4 million in the first quarter of 2022.</li></ul><p>Half of the 22 donors who signed a letter backing Boris Johnson before the vote of confidence have given the party another £2.4 million, new figures suggest.</p><p>Analysis of new data, released by the Electoral Commission, by the opposition Labour party shows that in the first quarter of this year 11 donors, their companies, or close family members gave the party a further £2.4 million on top of a reported £18 million in recent years. Insider has reviewed Labour's figures.</p><p>Donors including Lord Cruddas, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disgraced-tory-lord-backed-by-boris-johnson-gives-conservatives-500k-2021-6?r=US&amp;IR=T">made a peer by Johnson</a>, and Conservative party treasurer Malik Karim were signatories to a letter <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/18797649/donors-says-dont-ditch-boris/">shared with The Sun</a> in the hours leading up to the vote of confidence on June 6, which Johnson won 211-148.</p><p>Culture Secretary <keyword id="14212046" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nadine-dorries" source="Orion">Nadine Dorries</keyword>, one of Johnson's most ardent supporters, cited the letter during a <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/culture-secretary-nadine-dorries-accuses-colleague-jeremy-hunt-of-duplicity-in-twitter-spat-over-tory-leadership-12628934">TV interview with Sky News</a>.</p><p>"The Conservative party donors have said themselves that they aren't going to support the party if the prime minister is removed. I think a number of MPs in marginal seats need to hear that, and need to understand what they're doing.</p><p>"£18 million those donors have donated to the Conservative party over recent times, it's those donors that have helped us to win the election, and they need to hear that message."</p><p>One of the largest donations from a letter signatory in the first quarter of 2022 was Christopher Harborne, who had not given to the Conservative Party since June 2019. Since then, Harborne has given more than £10 million to what was then Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, now Reform UK. Harborne gave the Conservatives £500,000 in February 2022.</p><p>Commenting on the letter and on Dorries's comments, a Conservative MP, given anonymity to speak frankly about the party's fundraising, told Insider it is "never good to have donors calling the shots."</p><p>Meanwhile Labour said the intervention from the donors before the vote of confidence show "exactly who is calling the shots".</p><p>Anneliese Dodds, chair of the Labour Party, told Insider: "If the big donors want Boris Johnson's failing premiership to limp on then it will. They couldn't care less about what's best for our country."</p><p>A Conservative spokesman told Insider: "The Conservative Party is proud to have the support of so many leading figures in British industry. They support the Conservatives because they understand what it takes to deliver growth and jobs and don't want Labour to trash the economy as they do every time they are in government."</p>

Conservative donors who backed Boris Johnson ahead of confidence vote hand party another £2.4 million

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A parliamentary committee is to question the chair of the House of Lords Appointment Commission.</li><li>The watchdog, which vets nominees, has had its advice overruled by <keyword id="11911533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson" source="Orion">Boris Johnson</keyword>.</li></ul><p>The chair of the House of Lords appointments watchdog is due to be questioned by MPs following reports that Boris Johnson overruled its refusal to hand a peerage to <keyword id="13224744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="evgeny-lebedev" source="Orion">Evgeny Lebedev</keyword>, the Russian-born oligarch and son of a former KGB agent.</p><p>Conservative MP William Wragg, who chairs Parliament's <keyword id="13610317" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee" source="Orion">Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs committee</keyword>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1514163988564791297">told Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner</a>, that the committee will hold an evidence session on the watchdog soon after Parliament returns from its Easter recess.</p><p>Lord Bew, the chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, will be <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/event/13330/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/">questioned by MPs on April 20</a>.</p><p>The evidence session may also cover the appointment of <keyword id="13610318" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="peter-cruddas" source="Orion">Peter Cruddas</keyword>, who had given the Conservative Party £3 million in donations, sources told Insider.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Gabriel Pogrund (@Gabriel_Pogrund) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1514163988564791297">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote><p><a href="https://twitter.com/AngelaRayner/status/1514169189010976770?s=20&amp;t=skSe0EMm-UlP466aCswpWw">Rayner described the session</a> as "very welcome news", saying there were "many unanswered questions about how the business partner &amp; son of an 'ex-KGB' agent was granted a seat in our Parliament."</p><p>The evidence session follows reports, first seen in <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-johnsons-russian-crony-evgeny-lebedev-got-peerage-after-spies-dropped-warning-3dp6sw29x">The Sunday Times,</a> that Johnson intervened to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senior-tory-cant-believe-boris-johnson-made-lebedev-a-lord-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">overrule security advice against handing Lebedev</a> a seat in the House of Lords.</p><p>In December 2020, Cruddas was handed a peerage by Johnson despite the House of Lords Appointments Commission raising concerns over his probity. Days after joining the Lords, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disgraced-tory-lord-backed-by-boris-johnson-gives-conservatives-500k-2021-6?r=US&amp;IR=T">he gave the Conservative Party £500,000</a>.</p>

Lords appointments watchdog to be questioned after Boris Johnson overruled its advice on Russian oligarch Evgeny Lebedev and Tory donor Peter Cruddas

<ul class="summary-list"><li>EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson's nomination of disgraced Tory donor <keyword id="985238" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Peter-Cruddas">Peter Cruddas</keyword> to the <keyword id="77060" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="house-of-Lords">House of Lords</keyword> faces a legal challenge.</li><li>The <keyword id="4365353" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="good-law-project">Good Law Project</keyword> is challenging Johnson's decision, saying it was unlawful.</li><li>Cruddas gave £500,000 to the Conservatives just days after Johnson overruled official advice not to do so.</li><li>"Handing out peerages to Party donors who couldn't even pass the vetting process makes a mockery of our democracy," the Good Law Project's <keyword id="4365356" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="jolyon-maugham">Jolyon Maugham</keyword> tells Insider.</li></ul><p>Boris Johnson's decision to overrule a move to block his nomination of a disgraced Conservative Party donor to the House of Lords faces a legal challenge, Insider can reveal.</p><p>Johnson forced through the nomination of Peter Cruddas, who resigned as Conservative co-treasurer in 2012 after offering undercover reporters access to then Prime Minister David Cameron, despite objections from the <keyword id="762370" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="House-of-Lords-Appointments-Commission">House of Lords Appointments Commission</keyword> (HoLAC).</p><p>Cruddas then <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disgraced-tory-lord-backed-by-boris-johnson-gives-conservatives-500k-2021-6">handed Johnson's party a further £500,000</a> just days after Johnson forced through his peerage.</p><p>Now that decision is being challenged by the Good Law Project, who have instructed the solicitors Bindmans to send a letter before claim as part of a proposal for a judicial review of Johnson's decision to nominate Cruddas to the peerage.</p><p>Jo Maugham, a barrister and director of the Good Law Project, told Insider: "Despite the House of Lords Appointments Commission advising against it, Boris Johnson made Peter Cruddas a Lord. Just days later, Peter Cruddas donated half a million pounds to the Conservative Party. He threw his money around and now gets to shape laws that affect all of our lives.</p><p>"Handing out peerages to Party donors who couldn't even pass the vetting process makes a mockery of our democracy. We can't allow it to continue."</p><p>In their letter, seen by Insider, the Good Law Project say that the nomination "was unlawful because of apparent bias. A fair-minded and informed observer, presented with the facts of the matter, would conclude that there was a real possibility or danger of bias in the Defendant's decision making.</p><p>"Of particular significance in this regard is the timing of major donations by Peter Cruddas. In particular, in January 2020, one month before it became public knowledge that he was to be nominated, he made a £250,000 donation. Three days after he became a peer, he made a further £500,000 donation, the single largest donation he has made to date."</p><h2>Johnson accused of unlawfully rewarding disgraced peer</h2><div type="image" title="Boris Johnson" height="1240" width="2480" msid="83456295" hostid="261"></div>The Good Law Project, which has won a <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/michael-gove-coronavirus-contract-dominic-cummings-b1862426.html">series of victories</a> against the government in recent months, says that when vetting nominees, HoLAC takes into consideration "the credibility of individuals who have made significant political donations, loans or credit arrangements".<p>They say the "obvious inference is that the past donations and the prospects of future donations were taken into account when [the Prime Minister] decided to grant the peerage. A decision taken in whole or in part on the basis of such a consideration is unlawful."</p><p>Should the case go ahead, the Good Law Project "will be seeking a declaration that the decision to nominate Peter Cruddas for a peerage was unlawful."</p><p>They will be seeking Johnson to recognize this, and then to "undertake to consider what steps should flow from that confirmation".</p><p>Rather than challenging Johnson's exercise of the prerogative power to grant honours, the Good Law Project say they are seeking a judicial review of his use of a power under the Life Peerages Act 1958. </p><p>Prerogative powers have recently been the subject of judicial review, including a case against Johnson's government and his advice in 2019 to the Queen which led to the prorogation of Parliament, which was found by the UK Supreme Court to be "null and of no effect" - as if it had never happened.</p><h2>The man winning legal victories against the UK government</h2><div type="image" title="Jolyon Maugham" height="2630" width="5260" msid="83456299" hostid="261"></div><p>Maugham and the Good Law Project have become a "target" for government ministers, due to their string of successful legal challenges against the UK government, the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9655369/Fox-clubbing-QC-Jolyon-Maugham-faces-questions-crowdfunding-legal-cases.html">Mail on Sunday reported</a>.</p><p>On Wednesday, legal action brought by the Good Law Project against senior Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove led to the High Court ruling Gove acted unlawfully in handing a £560,000 contract to the firm Public First for market research.</p><p>The High Court said there was "apparent bias" in the decision by the Cabinet Office.</p><p>Public First's owners had both worked with Gove and Dominic Cummings, a former senior aide to both Johnson and Gove.</p><p>The advice of HoLAC has not been published, but some of their objections to Cruddas's nominations are apparent in the letter sent by Johnson to the chair of HoLAC, Lord Bew, when he explained why he was overruling their advice and nominating Cruddas to the peerage.</p><p>While co-treasurer of the Conservative Party in March 2012, the Sunday Times published an investigation carried out by undercover reporters alleging that Cruddas had offered them access to then Prime Minister David Cameron in return for £250,000 of donations. </p><p>Cruddas resigned as co-treasurer in the wake of the story, and would go on to sue the paper successfully for libel, winning £180,000 in damages. </p><p>However, the Sunday Times appealed, with damages being reduced to £50,000, and the judges finding that the central allegation of selling access to Cameron and other politicians was accurate. The judges said Cruddas's actions were "unacceptable, inappropriate and wrong".</p><p>In his letter to Lord Bew, Johnson described these concerns as "historic" and stated that "an internal Conservative Party investigation subsequently found that there had been no intentional wrongdoing on Mr Cruddas' part".</p><p>A spokesperson for the prime minister said: "All individuals are nominated in recognition of their contribution to society and their public and political service.</p><p>"Lord Cruddas has a broad range of experiences and insights across the charitable, business and political sectors which allow him to make a hugely valuable contribution to the work of the Lords."</p><p>A spokesperson for Lord Cruddas was contacted for comment.</p>

Boris Johnson's peerage to disgraced donor who gave the Conservatives £500,000 after the PM forced through his nomination, faces legal challenge

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Disgraced Conservative Lord <keyword id="985238" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Peter-Cruddas">Peter Cruddas</keyword> has donated more than £500,000 to <keyword id="6380867" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson">Boris Johnson</keyword>'s party after becoming a peer.</li><li>Cruddas resigned as party co-treasurer in 2012 after offering undercover reporters access to then Prime Minister David Cameron in exchange for £250,000 in donations.</li><li>He was subsequently nominated for a peerage by Boris Johnson despite the advice of the <keyword id="762370" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="House-of-Lords-Appointments-Commission">House of Lords Appointments Commission</keyword>.</li></ul><p>A Conservative member of the <keyword id="77060" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="house-of-Lords">House of Lords</keyword>, whose peerage was forced through last year by Boris Johnson despite his role in a cash-for-access scandal, has handed the prime minister's party half a million pounds.</p><p>Lord Peter Cruddas donated £500,000 to the Conservative Party's central office on 5 February 2021, only three days after he was introduced into the House of Lords where he now sits as a Conservative peer, the latest Electoral Commission records show.</p><p>Cruddas was nominated to become a member of the House of Lords by Boris Johnson in December 2020, despite objections from the House of Lords Appointments Commission, an independent group that vets nominations.</p><p>The Appointments Commission was unable to support the nomination owing to concerns over allegations made following an investigation by undercover reporters from the Sunday Times after he offered them access to the then Prime Minister David Cameron in exchange for £250,000 in donations.</p><p>Following the Sunday Times's story, Cruddas stepped down as co-treasurer of the Conservative Party. He would go on to sue the Sunday Times for libel, initially winning £180,000 in damages. The Sunday Times then appealed the judgment, with judges in the court of appeal reducing the damages to £50,000, after they ruled that the paper's central allegation of selling access to Cameron and other senior politicians were accurate.</p><p>The judges described Cruddas's actions as "unacceptable, inappropriate and wrong".</p><p>A letter from Boris Johnson to Lord Bew, the chair of the Appointments Commission, published by Downing Street in December along with the announcement of Cruddas's peerage dismissed the Commission's refusal to support the nomination.</p><p>He described the concerns as "historic" and assured Bew "that I see this case a clear and rare exception." Johnson's decision to overrule the Appointments Commission was the first time their advice had been overruled.</p><p>Johnson wrote: "The most serious accusations levelled at the time were found to be untrue and libellous. In order to avoid any ongoing concern, Mr Cruddas resigned from his post, and offered an apology for any impression of impropriety, and reflecting his particular concern for integrity in public life.</p><p>"An internal Conservative Party investigation subsequently found that there had been no intentional wrongdoing on Mr Cruddas' part."</p><p>Cruddas, a British businessman and philanthropist, donated a further £10,000 to the local Conservative association of Nickie Aitken, MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, a constituency which has voted for the Conservatives since its creation in 1950. He has given more than £3 million to the Conservatives since 2009.</p><p>Cruddas also gave £10,000 to Conservative Voice, which describes itself as "an exciting and dynamic group set up to unite all generations of the centre-Right of the party [...] a place for the grassroots to make themselves heard".</p><p>The opposition Labour party said the donation raised serious questions.</p><p>"The Conservative Party that brought us allegations of cash for access when Peter Cruddas was Treasurer seems to have turned its attention to peerages," Anneliese Dodds MP, Labour Party Chair, said in a statement.</p><p>"Whether it's handing out taxpayers' money to their mates or giving peerages to disgraced donors, there is always one rule for the Conservatives and their chums and another for the rest of us."</p>

A disgraced Lord gave the Conservatives £500,000 days after his peerage was forced through by Boris Johnson

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The wife of <keyword id="14445940" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nadhim-zahawi" source="Orion">Nadhim Zahawi</keyword> partnered with a BVI-registered firm on a £13.4 million property deal.</li><li>Zahawi Wantage, whose sole director is Lana Saib, acquired land in 2018 with Merme Ventures 2.</li></ul><p>A firm run by Nadhim Zahawi's wife co-owns a multi-million-pound stretch of land in partnership with Tory donors and an entity registered in the <keyword id="13751482" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="british-virgin-islands" source="Orion">British Virgin Islands</keyword>.</p><p>The company Zahawi Wantage, where Zahawi's wife Lana Saib is sole director, acquired land in Oxfordshire worth £13.4m on May 9, 2018, Land Registry documents show.</p><p>It was acquired in a joint deal with Merme Ventures 2, a London-based firm which is run by property tycoon Sir John Ritblat, Michael Cohen, Howard Goldsobel, and owned a firm called Harbour Administration (BVI) Ltd, according to Companies House. </p><p>Harbour is registered in the British Virgin Islands, a well-known <keyword id="12148805" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tax" source="Orion">tax</keyword> haven.</p><p>Family firm Zahawi &amp; Zahawi, from which the <keyword id="14445939" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="chancellor" source="Orion">chancellor</keyword> resigned in January 2018, was a "person of significant control" in Zahawi Wantage until 31 May 2018, when Saib took the reins outright.</p><p>Ritblat, one of the directors of Merme Ventures 2, is chairman to the advisory board of his son's property firm Delancey, which donated £50,000 to the Tories in 2010.</p><p>He has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/01/-sp-tory-summer-party-drew-super-rich-supporters-with-total-wealth-of-11bn">attended Conservative fundraisers</a> and was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2041229/Tory-donor-Jamie-Ritblat-snaps-Olympic-Village-knock-price--costing-275m.html">chairman to the Conservatives' Olympics Oversight Committee</a>, set up when the party was in opposition to scrutinise the budgets for the 2012 games in London.</p><p>Companies registered in the British Virgin Islands pay no capital gains tax and zero income tax, although there is a payroll tax of up to 8%.</p><p>There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by any party.</p><p>Separately, Zahawi's step-sons, Ahmad and Jaadar Shanshal, both have jobs at a firm owned by another prominent Tory donor. </p><p>The pair are business analysts at Lord Peter Cruddas' online trading firm CMC Markets, according to their LinkedIn profiles. Cruddas has given more than £3.3m to the Conservatives, including £6,000 to Zahawi's Stratford-upon-Avon constituency, and was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disgraced-tory-lord-backed-by-boris-johnson-gives-conservatives-500k-2021-6?r=US&amp;IR=T">given a peerage by Boris Johnson against official advice</a>. </p><p>The Shanshal brothers are also co-directors of Zahawi &amp; Zahawi.</p><p>Zahawi has come under increased scrutiny since <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/uk-prime-minister-boris-johnson-sacks-michael-gove-hints-other-cabinet-roles-will-change-amid-leadership-crisis/articleshow/92710332.cms">becoming chancellor last week</a> and joining the race to become <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnsons-replacement-to-be-announced-september-5-2022-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">the next UK Prime Minister</a>. </p><p>Last week, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chancellor-nadhim-zahawi-tax-investigation-hmrc-b2119590.html">The Independent reported</a> that HM Revenue &amp; Customs was carrying out an inquiry into his tax affairs, after being passed information by the National Crime Agency. Officers from the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have also investigated the chancellor's financial affairs, The Independent said.</p><p>Zahawi said he would publish his future tax returns should he be made <keyword id="11969968" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="prime-minister" source="Orion">prime minister</keyword>. </p><p>A spokeswoman for Zahawi told Insider: "Any suggestion that Nadhim or his wife have avoided tax through offshore structures is false."</p><p>A spokesman for Ritblat stressed the deal had been struck with Saib, and there was "no relationship, business or personal, between Sir John or Merme Ventures and Nadhim Zahawi". </p><p>Rachel Davies Teka, head of advocacy for Transparency International, told Insider: "At a time when trust in <keyword id="11893346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics" source="Orion">politics</keyword> is already at an all-time low, all contenders to be Britain's next Prime Minister should be ready to be fully transparent about the business activities they have undertaken and those of close family members."</p>

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi's wife Lana Saib co-owns £13.4m property with British Virgin Islands-registered firm

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sunak and Truss are in the final of the <keyword id="14427242" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="conservative-party-leadership-contest" source="Orion">Conservative Party leadership contest</keyword>. The winner will be the next prime minister.</li><li>Trade minister <keyword id="13363234" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="penny-mordaunt" source="Orion">Penny Mordaunt</keyword> was eliminated in Tuesday's final round of votes by Conservative MPs.</li></ul><p>Former Chancellor <keyword id="12981896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rishi-sunak" source="Orion">Rishi Sunak</keyword> or Foreign Secretary <keyword id="13013008" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="liz-truss" source="Orion">Liz Truss</keyword> will be the UK's next prime minister, as they move into the second stage of the Conservative party leadership contest.</p><p>Trade minister Penny Mordaunt was knocked out of the contest in the final round of voting by Conservative MPs on Wednesday.</p><p>Sunak and Truss will now go into a head-to-head contest to secure the backing of Conservative Party members over the summer. The Conservatives claimed to have 200,000 members in March 2021, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-party-membership-boris-johnson-b1823310.html">the Independent reported</a>. </p><p>The result will be announced on September 5, with Boris Johnson expected to formally resign to the Queen on September 6 before handing over the keys to Downing Street to the winner.</p><p>Sunak was the frontrunner throughout the first stage of elimination rounds by Conservative MPs, while Truss' campaign to make it to the final two saw her lagging behind Mordaunt in the first four rounds.</p><p>The final ballot saw Sunak get 137 votes, Truss get 113, and Mordaunt eliminated on 105. Two ballot papers were spoilt. </p><p>One MP who supported Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee who was eliminated in the third round of voting, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tory-mps-select-final-3-candidates-to-succeed-boris-johnson-2022-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">told Insider on Tuesday</a>: "Many of us think it wouldn't be right to give the membership two members of Boris's cabinet [Truss and Sunak] given everything that's happened."</p><p>The contest's move to focusing on gaining the support of the Conservative Party membership will see in-person and virtual hustings, as well as campaigning across the country by the candidates.</p><p>Conservative members will then vote in a postal vote, with ballot papers expected to arrive on members' doorsteps between August 1 and August 5.</p><p>Sunak and Truss can spend up to £300,000 each throughout the leadership contest, up from £150,000 in the 2019 leadership contest, giving them capacity — should they get the funding — to bombard members with reasons why they deserve to be the next leader of the party.</p><h2>The Tory donors behind Truss and Sunak</h2><p>Truss has received the backing of the donor Maurizio Bragagni and has been running her campaign from the Westminster townhouse of Lord Greville Howard, another donor.</p><p>Sunak, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rishi-sunak-first-uk-politician-to-enter-sunday-times-rich-list-2022-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">first major politician to appear on the Sunday Times Rich List</a>, has been publicly backed by more Tory donors. </p><p>Lord Michael Farmer, the former party treasurer, told <a href="https://twitter.com/christopherhope/status/1549071717636751361">the Telegraph he supported Sunak</a>; donor Lord Rami Ranger endorsed Sunak; former party treasurer Lord Michael Spencer <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/07/15/lord-cruddas-threatens-cut-donations-tory-party/?utm_campaign=Echobox&amp;utm_content=telegraph&amp;utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1657885710">told the Telegraph</a> he was backing Tugendhat in earlier stages, with Sunak or Mordaunt as his next preferred candidates; and donor Alexander Temerko told Insider he too backed Tugendhat with Sunak as his backup option.</p><p>Conservative Party donor Lord Peter Cruddas, who was made a peer in the House of Lords by Johnson, has <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-the-tories-turned-the-heat-on-rishi-sunak-trxtwbt6n">campaigned for Johnson to be put on the ballot paper</a> as an option to be kept as leader of the Conservative Party. He has been critical of Sunak.</p>

Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss to be elected Conservative Party leader and UK prime minister

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tory donors, grandees, and ministers dined and drank at the Victoria &amp; Albert Museum on Monday.</li><li>They gathered at tables that cost up to £2,000-a-seat to raise funds for the <keyword id="12095167" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="conservative-party" source="Orion">Conservative Party</keyword>.</li></ul><p>Conservative donors had fillet steak and drank "amazing" wine as they bid for prizes including a £120,000 dinner with <keyword id="11911533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson" source="Orion">Boris Johnson</keyword> and former prime ministers Theresa May and David Cameron at a glitzy London museum.</p><p>Ministers, party grandees, and donors attended <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tory-fundraiser-at-va-museum-sparks-questions-over-ben-elliots-role-2022-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">the Conservative Party's summer fundraising dinner</a> at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Monday evening, greeted to the venue with boos and chants from protesting members of the museum's Public and Commercial Services union and Labour MP John McDonnell. Tickets for the event cost up to £2,000-a-head.</p><p>Some guests revelled in the jeers, exchanging remarks with the protesting staff.</p><p>Tory donor Lord Peter Cruddas brandished his invitations at protestors. A man on a penny farthing cycling past rang his bell in support of the protest.</p><p>After drinks and a speech from Boris Johnson in the V&amp;A's Courtyard, attendees dined in the museum's Raphael Court, surrounded by the Raphael Cartoons, designs for Biblical tapestries by the Renaissance master.</p><p>Johnson's attendance was welcomed by guests who noted he had visited despite going under general anaesthetic for surgery Monday morning.</p><p>One said he gave "the most amazing speech", which amouted to a "huge list" of the party's achievements. Johnson left after around 30 minutes at the event.</p><p>Other ministers at the bash included Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary <keyword id="12095168" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="priti-patel" source="Orion">Priti Patel</keyword>, Party Chairman Oliver Dowden, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, who Insider saw arriving late.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Savitha Prakash (ಸವಿತ !)  (@SavvyPrakash) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1539038501349498882">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote><p>Ministers and donors had salmon tartare, fillet steak with asparagus mash, and passionfruit meringues, <a href="https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/night-at-the-museum-strike-1-right-old-carrie-on/">POLITICO reported</a>.</p><p>One source, given anonymity due to their role, told Insider there were also cheese platters and truffles with "more developed" versions of gummy bears. As the attendees dined, catering staff had "very nice salami sandwiches" and some "standard chocolates", the source added. </p><p>"The food was fantastic, the wine was even better. They were amazing wines, best wines we've had," one attendee told Insider afterwards. One source told Insider most guests had only one or two glasses of wine.</p><p>Attendees bid on auction prizes including what <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/tories-beat-inflation-with-glitzy-ball">The Spectator reported</a> was referred to as the "dinner of the century" with Johnson, May, and Cameron, which went for £120,000, sources told Insider.</p><p><a href="https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/night-at-the-museum-strike-1-right-old-carrie-on/">POLITICO reported</a> the value of other prizes including a safari trip in South Africa for £65,000, a shooting trip in Market Harborough for £37,000, a wine-tasting lunch for £30,000, and tickets to Chelsea v Arsenal for £5,000.</p><p>With the event drawing to a close and guests spilling out the side entrance of the museum, Insider spoke with a number of donors and ministers. </p><p>Political strategist Lynton Crosby said it had been a "great event". Scotland Secretary Alister Jack asked where Exhibition Road, the street he was standing on, was.</p><p>Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey said there had been no "Coffee with Coffey" auctioned off. </p><p><keyword id="13676143" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lubov-chernukhin" source="Orion">Lubov Chernukhin</keyword>, the largest female political donor in British history and wife of Putin's former junior finance minister, who has given more than £2.2 million to the Conservatives, said "no comment" when asked if she had won anything in the auction. </p><p>Maurizio Bragagni, the honorary consul to the UK for the micro-state of San Marino, attended the dinner.</p><p>Bragagni, who has been criticised for <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61745024">complaining about "foreign Muslims" in the UK,</a> told Insider he was unhappy with recent media coverage, saying it was "because you are all communists."</p><p>Bragagni said the reports were "absolutely" incorrect and his meaning had been translated "the wrong way. That is what you are." </p><p>He said he "always" spoke to Boris Johnson and departed.</p><p>Conservative supporter Ashraf Chohan was initially happy to speak about the event when asked. "Of course you can! Walk with us, walk with us."</p><p>With him was donor and Lord Rami Ranger, given a peerage by May. "We love Boris," Ranger said, echoed by Chohan.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Dr Ashraf Chohan (@DrAshrafChohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1538989478320164864">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote><p>After a member of the group advised Chohan against talking to Insider, he said: "Boris will be prime minister next time as well, and we'll make sure." He added there was "no auction. No money, no money. No, no, no money."</p><p>Christopher Harborne, who has recently started financially supporting the Conservatives again, after giving more than £10 million to what was Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, spoke with a protester supporting <keyword id="12188188" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="julian-assange" source="Orion">Julian Assange</keyword> outside the museum before entering the event.</p><p>He told Insider afterwards: "Free Julian Assange. Free Julian Assange. Main message."</p><p>Harborne said he had not had the chance to speak about Assange's release with Johnson, Patel, or any other ministers,  saying "dinners get busy".</p><p>Harborne said he had not bid on any auction prizes, and didn't want to talk about why he was giving money to the Conservatives again.</p><p>A Conservative party spokesperson said: "Fundraising is a legitimate part of the democratic process. The alternative is more taxpayer-funding of political campaigning, which would mean less money for frontline services like schools, police and hospitals – or else, being in the pocket of union barons, like the Labour Party."</p>

Conservative party donors drink and dine with Boris Johnson and other ministers at fundraising gala

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Candidates in the Conservative leadership contest can spend up to £300,000.</li><li>Insider has analysed donations to the 10 declared candidates, plus Priti Patel.</li></ul><p>Voting in the Conservative Party leadership contest is due to begin Tuesday afternoon, with the UK expected to learn the name of its new prime minister by September 6. </p><p>So far there are 10 candidates confirmed, although Home Secretary Priti Patel has yet to say whether she is running, and has accrued at least 13 supporters without declaring.</p><p>Candidates can spend £300,000 this year, double the spending limit in the 2019 contest, and equivalent to the spending limit for three Parliamentary by-elections.</p><p>That only covers funds spent after the formal beginning of the campaign, which will be good news for those with flashy videos released (and possibly re-released) last week. </p><p>Teams don't have to declare for a month after receiving the donation. In the meantime Insider takes you through the 11 candidates's declared donations to see what their war chests could be, should they make it past the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnsons-replacement-to-be-announced-september-5-2022-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">first few elimination rounds</a>. </p><h2>Ready for Rishi </h2><p>Rishi Sunak declared £50,000 received by his local party organisation in November 2021, but has received no personal donations in the past year. The £50,000 came from Dean Benson, a Teesside millionaire.</p><p>All being said, Sunak's <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-sunak-becomes-first-frontline-politician-to-join-sunday-times-rich-list-2022-zksx9bprq">probably rich enough</a> to put his hand in his own pocket – and the £16,876 redundancy payment he's entitled to for resigning from being Chancellor will help too. But Sunak's team have told Insider he will not be funding his own campaign and they'll be taking donations. </p><p>There's been <a href="https://twitter.com/AVMikhailova/status/1546178782444359681/photo/1">awkward news in the Mail on Sunday already about his launch video</a> and how it features Diageo and Guinness, given his campaign is being run by Beer APPG vice-chair Lord Smith of Hindhead. </p><h2>PM4PM</h2><p>Penny Mordaunt has had nothing coming her way in the past year, but Mordaunt's previously received £20,000 from First Corporate Consultants, a firm run by Bristol Port Company owner Terence Mordaunt (no relation).</p><p>The Port Company gave £25,000 to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt each last time they ran for the leadership.</p><p>Mordaunt's local association received £3,000 from billionaire donor Sir Michael Hintze in October 2019, but that was part of nearly £300,000 given by Hintze to the Conservative Party for the general election. Hintze is also in line for a peerage in Johnson's resignation honours, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-the-cat-with-nine-lives-has-finally-been-neutered-nq7hnwndv">The Sunday Times reported</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/minister-criticises-tory-mps-for-meeting-with-donor-alexander-temerko-2022-3?IR=T&amp;r=US&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com">Mordaunt is unlikely to be accepting donations from Alexander Temerko, though</a>.</p><h2>Tom: A Clean Start</h2><p>Tom Tugendhat, the Foreign Affairs Committee chair, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-tugendhat-urges-more-caution-in-taking-political-donations-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">warned in</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-tugendhat-urges-more-caution-in-taking-political-donations-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T"> a March interview with Insider</a> that MPs and political parties should exercise greater caution in accepting donations, noting he had "declined" donations "from certain people" who would go on to or had given money to other politicians.</p><p>Tugendhat's launch event was attended by Michael Tory, a political donor and investment banker who has previously given the Conservatives nearly £350,000 but most recently gave £15,000 to the Liberal Democrats in the 2019 general election. Tory told the Sunday Times in early June that <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/baa63336-e412-11ec-a6dd-97fa9f1901cf?shareToken=b4f93cdd5a1c9015cc22417c2c4fa25c">Johnson had to resign</a>. </p><p>Tugendhat has also raked in £65,000 to support his work on the committee in the past year, including £25,000 from former Tory Party treasurer Lord (Michael) Spencer, who gave £20,000 to Sajid Javid in 2019. </p><h2>Liz for Leader</h2><p>Liz Truss's only entry in the register of members' interests for the past year is the £229.25 royalty payment for "Britannia Unchained", the page-turning 2012 treatise she co-authored with Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, and Chris Skidmore.</p><p>Her donors since her 2010 election are pretty limited: £4,000 from Norfolk logistics businessman Richard Johnston and £2,000 from David Meller in 2015, last <a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/record-profits-tory-donors-firm-won-huge-ppe-contracts/">primarily seen in the PPE VIP fast-track lane, as openDemocracy reported</a>. Truss's own flashy video has got into a bit of hot water already over questions about <a href="https://twitter.com/ShippersUnbound/status/1546427236349247492">the use of footage filmed by civil servants, not special advisers</a>.</p><p>Her HQ is based at Lord Greville Howard's 11 Lord North Street townhouse, where one Boris Johnson ran his campaign in 2019.</p><h2>NZ4PM</h2><p>Nadhim Zahawi is so rich, <a href="https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/nadhim-zahawi-says-hes-unsure-how-wealthy-he-is">he doesn't quite know how rich he is</a> – though seemingly not rich enough to spark the interest of the Sunday Times Rich List research team.</p><p>He could self-fund his campaign, potentially getting another mortgage out on either his property and 31 acres of land in Warwickshire with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/10/nadhim-zahawi-admits-taxpayers-electricity-stables">(heated) stables</a>; his London house; or his Dubai apartment. Or he could sell his shares worth more than £70,000 in BT.</p><p>Zahawi has had no donors in the past year, but during the 2019 general election his constituency was helped out by £3,000 from Lord Peter Cruddas; £5,000 from Jo Bamford, heir to the JCB empire; and £2,000 from Iraqi-born financier Raed Hanna's MFL Finance.</p><p>The newly-appointed Chancellor has pledged more transparency about his finances following a series of allegations <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chancellor-nadhim-zahawi-tax-investigation-hmrc-b2119590.html">he is under investigation by HMRC</a>, after he was previously probed by the National Crime Agency, and for good measure the Serious Fraud Office – but only once he's made PM, of course.</p><p>Tory donor Dr Maurizio Bragagni told Insider <a href="https://twitter.com/nzforleader/status/1546609289778847748?s=24&amp;t=jJhXJM2O0DDwSLLLYjs06g">he'd be backing Zahawi</a>.</p><p>A spokesperson for Zahawi's campaign told Insider: "Like all candidates we will be seeking donations from our supporters. These will all be declared in due course in line with the rules."</p><h2>Kemi for Prime Minister</h2><p>Kemi Badenoch has declared relatively little in the way of donors to date, aside from having her ticket to a Tory Party fundraiser last November paid by Hintze, and £26,755.20 worth of legal research on online abuse from branding consultant Jeremy Hildreth.</p><p>But she has received the backing of Michael Gove, who may be able to assist given he was handed £100,000 from property developer Zak Gertler in August 2021, and £20,000 from Aberdeen-based property tycoon Alan Massie in May 2021.</p><h2>Priti Patel</h2><p>Priti Patel has not yet announced she's running, but if she does, she has been given £140,000 since February 2022: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/01/priti-patel-accepts-100000-donation-from-firm-run-by-oil-trader-pierre-andurand">£100,000 from venture capital firm Andurand Ventures</a>, and £40,000 from the directors of investment management firm Njord Partners.</p><h2>Win Back Trust with Jeremy Hunt</h2><p>Jeremy Hunt is back again for another pop at the top job. The former foreign secretary has not declared any donations in the past year to build up a war chest in advance.</p><p>Insider has asked Alexander Temerko if he'll be backing him again, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/minister-criticises-tory-mps-for-meeting-with-donor-alexander-temerko-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">after the two had lunch earlier this year.</a></p><h2>Suella 4 Leader</h2><p>Suella Braverman has had no donations in the past year, but she's previously been supported by telecommunications business boss Darren Ridge.</p><p>Otherwise there is little in the way of apparent financial support to run a campaign, though she has been backed by Tory MP Richard Drax, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/04/wealthy-mp-with-slave-trade-links-failed-to-publish-accounts-for-four-of-his-firms">believed to be worth more than £150 million</a>.</p><h2>Team Saj</h2><p>Sajid Javid earned almost £150,000 from JP Morgan from August 2020 to June 2021, another £113,000 from C3.ai, and nine months worth of C3.ai shares worth £45,000 per month.</p><p>He's also previously been supported by Tory donor Lord Rami Ranger, so even <a href="https://twitter.com/sajidjavid/status/1546226346539483136">if he's not commissioned a brand new leadership bid film</a>, he's certainly got the earnings to do so. </p><p>Team Saj told Insider funding would "all be declared in usual way in due course".</p><h2>Rehman Chishti</h2><p>Please get in touch with Insider if there's anything secretly damning hidden in Rehman Chishti's <a href="https://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=24920">entry in the register of members' interests</a> that might stop a campaign that has barely begun, with Chishti yet to receive the public endorsement of any MPs other than, presumably, himself.</p>

11 Tory leadership candidates' donors and war chests analysed ahead of £300,000 contest

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/548721e3dd0895a56f8b45e2-1945-1459/nigel-farage-2.jpg" alt="Nigel Farage" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett" /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Groups in favour of Britain leaving the European Union - dubbed a Brexit- have given more than £8 million to pro-Brexit campaign groups so far, <a href="http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Search/Donations?currentPage=1&amp;rows=10&amp;sort=Value&amp;order=desc&amp;tab=1&amp;open=filter&amp;et=perpar&amp;date=Reported&amp;from=2016-04-01&amp;to=2016-05-03&amp;prePoll=true&amp;postPoll=false&amp;optCols=AccountingUnitsAsCentralParty&amp;optCols=IsSponsorship&amp;optCols=RegulatedDoneeType&amp;optCols=CompanyRegistrationNumber&amp;optCols=Postcode&amp;optCols=NatureOfDonation&amp;optCols=PurposeOfVisit&amp;optCols=DonationAction&amp;optCols=ReportedDate&amp;optCols=IsReportedPrePoll&amp;optCols=ReportingPeriodName&amp;optCols=IsBequest&amp;optCols=IsAggregation">according to data released by the Electoral Commission on Wednesday.</a></p><p>Between February 1 and April 21, the various leave campaigns - which existed prior to Vote Leave's designation as the official Brexit campaign group - received £8.18 million, more than £700,000 more than the remain campaigners. Remain groups were given £7.46 million.</p><p>The biggest individual donation to any campaign was a £3.2 million donation given by the founder and former chairman of investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, Peter Hargreaves. He made the donation to the Leave.EU campaign, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/leaveeu-drops-judicial-review-plans-2016-4">which lost out to Vote Leave as the officially designated campaign in April.</a></p><p><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/hargreaves-lansdown-founder-peter-hargreaves-backs-brexit-2016-3#comments">Hargreaves has been one of the most outspoken pro-Brexit business people ahead of the referendum</a>, and in March said that Brexit would be an "inspiration" to the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword>'s economy.</p><p>"I'm firmly convinced, that day -hopefully - we decide to leave, that little bit of insecurity, that little bit of unknown will be an absolute fillip to everyone," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.</p><p>Along with Hargreaves' donation, another pro-Brexit campaign was the recipient of the second largest donation so far. Grassroots Out - the group backed by the leader of UKIP Nigel Farage and Tory MPs Liam Fox and Peter Bone - was given £1.95 million by an entity called Better For the Country Ltd. Better For the Country is run by Leave.EU head Arron Banks.</p><p>On the other side of the campaign, the In Campaign's biggest two donations so far came from former Sainsbury's chairman David Sainsbury, who gave donations of £1.6 million and £750,000.</p><p>Here is a selection of some of the other big donations given to either side so far:</p><ul><li><strong>Vote Leave</strong> - Patrick Barbour, one of the founders of free-market think-tank Reform, gave <strong>£500,000.</strong></li><li><strong>Vote Leave - </strong>Peter Cruddas, the founder of derivatives dealer, CMC Markets, handed over <strong>£350,000.</strong></li><li><strong>Vote Leave </strong>- Tory peer and one of the founders of the Red Kite hedge fund, Michael Farmer gave leave <strong>£200,000.</strong></li><li><strong>The In Campaign</strong> - <strong>£500,000</strong> was donated by a company called The Tower Limited Partnership.</li><li><strong>The In Campaign</strong> - Lloyd Dorfman, the founder of Travelex gave <strong>£500,000.</strong></li><li><strong>The In Campaign</strong> - Businessman and chairman of Winton Capital, David Harding gave <strong>£750,000.</strong></li></ul><p>You can see the full list of major donors to EU Referendum campaigns - which includes several big banks, and Bloomberg - <a href="http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Search/Donations?currentPage=2&amp;rows=10&amp;sort=Value&amp;order=desc&amp;tab=1&amp;open=filter&amp;et=perpar&amp;date=Reported&amp;from=2016-04-01&amp;to=2016-05-03&amp;prePoll=true&amp;postPoll=false&amp;optCols=AccountingUnitsAsCentralParty&amp;optCols=IsSponsorship&amp;optCols=RegulatedDoneeType&amp;optCols=CompanyRegistrationNumber&amp;optCols=Postcode&amp;optCols=NatureOfDonation&amp;optCols=PurposeOfVisit&amp;optCols=DonationAction&amp;optCols=ReportedDate&amp;optCols=IsReportedPrePoll&amp;optCols=ReportingPeriodName&amp;optCols=IsBequest&amp;optCols=IsAggregation">on the Electoral Commission's website.</a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inventors-who-were-killed-by-their-inventions-2016-5">7 inventors who were killed by their own inventions</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VsMGYwMDE6fvg6irQt8i2KueCbxtIwrO" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'VsMGYwMDE6fvg6irQt8i2KueCbxtIwrO',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Here's how much money people have spent trying to force a Brexit

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56178141dd089508288b46bf-2492-1869/gettyimages-129920218.jpg" alt="Hazel Prowse burns an EU flag outside the Methodist Central Hall on October 22, 2011 in London, England, following a campaign meeting calling for a UK referendum on membership of the EU. (Photo by )" data-mce-source="Oli Scarff/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Hazel Prowse burns an EU flag outside the Methodist Central Hall on October 22, 2011 in London, England, following a campaign meeting calling for a UK referendum on membership of the EU."><p class="source"><span>Oli Scarff/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Hazel Prowse burns an EU flag outside the Methodist Central Hall on October 22, 2011 in London, England, following a campaign meeting calling for a UK referendum on membership of the EU.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>A heavyweight new campaign group calling for Britain to leave the European Union&#xa0;launched on Friday with support from Tory, Labour, Green, and UKIP politicians and top political donors.<p><a href="http://www.voteleavetakecontrol.org/">Vote Leave</a> has support from millionaire Labour donor John Mills, who founded JML, as well as Stuart Wheeler, a major Conservative donor before he joined UKIP as treasurer.</p><p>Former Conservative Party Treasurer Dr Peter Cruddas is also a major supporter.</p><p>Other prominent business backers include Phones4U founder John Caudwell, Reebok founder Joe Foster, Numis Securities CEO Oliver Hemsley, Patisserie Valerie chairman Luke Johnson, and Crispin Odey, boss of leading hedge fund Odey Asset Management.</p><p>Politicians and campaigners from all ends of the political spectrum are also linked to the campaign, including: Tory defector turned UKIP MP Douglas Carswell; Conservative MP Steve Baker; the Labour Leave group; and Green Party London Assembly member Jenny Jones.</p><p>The campaign's two big arguments are that the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> should end the supremacy of EU law over domestic law and that by leaving the EU Britain could save money that could be invested in things like the NHS.</p><p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0tItgGcWVHw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></p><p class="embed-spacer">David Cameron promised an "in or out" referendum on Europe by 2017 as part of his reelection campaign earlier this year. The official line of both the Tory and Labour parties is that they want Britain to remain in Europe and the Prime Minister is trying to <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/eu-referendum-uk-poised-for-a-brexit-unless-cameron-secures-major-reforms-2015-6">renegotiate the UK's relationship to Europe</a>&#xa0;to strengthen his case.</p><p>But Vote Leave is likely to worry Westminster given the cross-party support the group has drummed up and the deep pockets of its backers.</p><p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34478008">The BBC reports</a> that Vote Leave is planning to spend at least £20 million on the campaign, around half the total the Conservative Party spent in the year leading up to May's election.</p><p><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/emb-0000-eu-referendum-three-of-uks-biggest-donors-to-bankroll-out-campaign-a6687066.html">The Independent reports</a> that there is growing nervousness in the pro-EU camp. The paper quotes an anonymous former Conservative minister as saying: "We could well lose the referendum - I am under no illusion about that."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-donald-trump-insults-white-house-correspondents-dinner-fox-news-2015-8">Obama has been getting the best of Trump for years</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="F5dXY4dzpedDTqGtZWvjQdvLnFUPnk3E" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'F5dXY4dzpedDTqGtZWvjQdvLnFUPnk3E',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The Brexit campaign is starting to look like it could win

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56fcce16dd08953c218b467a-1665-1249/6322992684_d252f695ed_o.jpg" alt="Secret stamp" data-mce-source="Flickr/RestrictedData" data-mce-caption="Donations made before February 1 may not be disclosed." data-link="https://www.flickr.com/photos/restricteddata/6322992684/in/photolist-aCJZrf-q1d6GF-pHMstF-4saSBE-q1kTBQ-p4qxdq-bcZ3xa-Ht8dT-8vvXRV-p4qyr7-8vw7nz-p81asa-oxp2v6-5Km7rg-oPBH9B-bfXD7Z-iU4rN-Je31q-pHQWKH-5Qpza1-bY2k4E-q13iri-pY7w2h-q13uf2-5QDnfL-5QDfE5-4LR4cQ-6T9NUA-pHR2xZ-aeKutf-aCJZmd-9j3m68-ojhDUA-pHMnvV-9Z6SjV-pHMuSZ-6Ctgpt-8Cv5NF-3dcUVe-6suskE-6wia7k-35Go3J-5ukzDt-nv4Akh-pY7uo7-94WB5G-5YhfL9-3bJSQe-omeXmx-eNhWqY" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/restricteddata/6322992684/in/photolist-aCJZrf-q1d6GF-pHMstF-4saSBE-q1kTBQ-p4qxdq-bcZ3xa-Ht8dT-8vvXRV-p4qyr7-8vw7nz-p81asa-oxp2v6-5Km7rg-oPBH9B-bfXD7Z-iU4rN-Je31q-pHQWKH-5Qpza1-bY2k4E-q13iri-pY7w2h-q13uf2-5QDnfL-5QDfE5-4LR4cQ-6T9NUA-pHR2xZ-aeKutf-aCJZmd-9j3m68-ojhDUA-pHMnvV-9Z6SjV-pHMuSZ-6Ctgpt-8Cv5NF-3dcUVe-6suskE-6wia7k-35Go3J-5ukzDt-nv4Akh-pY7uo7-94WB5G-5YhfL9-3bJSQe-omeXmx-eNhWqY">Flickr/RestrictedData</a></span></p><p class="caption">Donations made before February 1 may not be disclosed.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Millions of pounds are pouring into either side of the debate over whether Britain should stay in Europe or leave - but just how much each side is getting and from who could remain largely a secret.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-30/hidden-millions-fund-the-debate-over-britain-s-european-future">Bloomberg points out in an article on Thursday</a> that both the "Remain" and the "Brexit" (a British exit from Europe) camps have received huge amounts of funding over the last six months in preparation for the <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/britains-eu-referendum-will-be-held-june-23-2016-2">June 23 referendum</a>.</p><p>But the bulk of cash appears to have come before the February 1 deadline when the Electoral Commission requires all donations above £7,500 to be made public. It means many major corporations and individuals trying to sway public opinion could remain anonymous.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-30/hidden-millions-fund-the-debate-over-britain-s-european-future">Bloomberg quotes</a> Darren Hughes, deputy head of the Electoral Reform Society, as saying: "We need to know who's giving the money and who's trying to influence the debate. We're concerned about unreported income because the regulated period is too short."</p><p>Despite the lack of disclosure requirements prior to February 1, many donations have leaked out. Here's a rundown of the main backers we know about on each side:</p><h2>Remain</h2><ul><li><strong>David Sainsbury:</strong> Great grandfather set up supermarket J Sainsbury's. Provided seed funding for Britain Stronger in Europe, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-30/hidden-millions-fund-the-debate-over-britain-s-european-future">according to Bloomberg.</a></li><li><strong>Goldman Sachs:</strong> <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-goldman-sachs-fund-britains-pro-europe-referendum-group-2016-1">Backed </a><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-goldman-sachs-fund-britains-pro-europe-referendum-group-2016-1">Britain Stronger in Europe at the end of January.</a> A spokesman told Bloomberg the bank put in £500,000.</li><li><strong>JPMorgan:</strong> Also backed Britain Stronger in Europe <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-goldman-sachs-fund-britains-pro-europe-referendum-group-2016-1">around the same time as Goldman</a>. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-30/hidden-millions-fund-the-debate-over-britain-s-european-future">Bloomberg says</a> $500,000 donated. Unconfirmed.</li><li><strong>Morgan Stanley:</strong> <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-30/hidden-millions-fund-the-debate-over-britain-s-european-future">Bloomberg says</a> $500,000 donated. Unconfirmed.</li><li><strong>David Harding:</strong> Founder of hedge fund Winton Capital Management is <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/winton-capital-management-founder-david-harding-backs-stronger-in-europe-2015-11">believed to have backed Britain Stronger in Europe in November</a>. Donation was said to be several millions at the time.</li><li><strong>John Armitage:</strong> Founder of hedge fund Egerton Capital also <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/winton-capital-management-founder-david-harding-backs-stronger-in-europe-2015-11">reportedly donated to Stronger in Europe around November.</a></li></ul><h2>Leave</h2><ul><li><strong>Crispin Odey:</strong> The founder of hedge fund Odey Asset Management was <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/vote-leave-pro-brexit-group-launches-2015-10">one of the founding members of the "Vote Leave" campaign</a> and is believed to be a significant backer.</li><li><strong>Peter Cruddas:</strong> The former Conservative Party Treasurer and founder of CMC Markets was another founding member of "Vote Leave" and, <a href="https://next.ft.com/content/db7ce4fe-8e17-11e5-a549-b89a1dfede9b">according to the Financial Times</a>, put £1 million into the group in November as seed funding.</li><li><strong>Sir Michael Hintz: </strong>The founder of hedge fund CQS was "considering" a big donation to the <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/vote-leave-pro-brexit-group-launches-2015-10">Vote Leave campaign</a> in November, according to the Financial Times.</li></ul><p>These are just the names that have either leaked publically or been announced so far in the referendum debate - there are likely a lot more big donations going on behind the scenes.</p><p>Both groups have strong links to business: the remain campaign is chaired by former Marks &amp; Spencer CEO Sir Stuart Rose, while founding members of the "Vote Leave" group include JML founder John Mills, Phones4U founder John Caudwell, Reebok founder Joe Foster, Numis Securities CEO Oliver Hemsley, and Patisserie Valerie chairman Luke Johnson.</p><p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34478008">The BBC reported</a> that Vote Leave is planning to spend at least £20 million on the campaign, around half the total the Conservative Party spent in the year leading up to last May's general election. That implies very deep pocketed backers.</p><p>The Electoral Commission will chose the official campaign for each side (there are various factions at the moment) in April, after which the designated groups will be required to publish their first spending reports by the end of the month. Electoral Commission spokesman James McGrory <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-30/hidden-millions-fund-the-debate-over-britain-s-european-future">declined to tell Bloomberg</a> if groups would disclose donations it received before February 1.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-billionaires-real-estate-trick-sell-their-penthouses-faster-for-more-money-2016-3">The real estate trick billionaires use to sell their penthouses faster and for more money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VycG0yMjE69omwf5-yxWoSA5EDyVrymY" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'VycG0yMjE69omwf5-yxWoSA5EDyVrymY',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Banks and hedge funds are spending millions on the fight over Britain's future in Europe - but it could remain secret

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56b3864bdd0895ed238b481c-1332-999/rtx1z554.jpg" alt="Vote Leave" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Luke MacGregor" data-mce-caption="A campaign worker poses in a campaign t-shirt for the Vote Leave campaign, who want Britain to leave the European Union (EU), at their offices in London, Britain, December 17, 2015. European Union leaders could clinch a deal with British Prime Minister David Cameron in February to prevent the bloc's second largest economy leaving, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday. Cameron is seeking to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the bloc it joined in 1973 ahead of a referendum on membership to be held by the end of 2017. Some EU leaders are wary of agreeing to all of his demands, however, particularly on cutting benefits for EU migrants to Britain." /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Luke MacGregor</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Two of the most important people campaigning for Britain to leave the EU have left the board of the Vote Leave campaign group.</p><p>On February 3, Vote Leave's CEO Matthew Elliott and campaign director Dominic Cummings stepped down from the board of the group following months of infighting that threatened to tear the campaign apart.</p><p>Elliot and Cummings might not be household names, but, as the leaders of one of the two major leave organisations, they were supposed to be the men who would help mastermind Britain's exit from the EU. Their departures indicate that the leave campaign as a whole appears to be failing to provide a cohesive opposition to the remain campaign.</p><p>This failure was very obvious this week when Prime Minister David Cameron <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/david-camerons-eu-renegotiation-speech-2016-2">announced his proposed deal </a>to renegotiate Britain's place in the EU - a precursor to Cameron campaigning for the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> to remain in the EU.</p><p>There was no clear, coordinated response from the leave campaign - a failure that led the Daily Mail to run the widely-shared comment piece on their February 4 <a href="https://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/695008681478508545" target="_blank">front page titled</a> "Who will speak for England?"</p><p>To understand why the leave campaign hasn't been doing as well as it should be, here's a handy guide to all the key players and the two main leave organisations, Vote Leave and Leave.EU.</p><p><strong>Vote Leave</strong></p><p>Vote Leave is run from Westminster and is staffed by some of the best-known campaigners in UK <keyword id="6358883" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Politics">politics</keyword>. It has focused its campaigning on making the economic case for Britain to leave the EU.</p><p>A lot of its funding has come from Conservatives, such as former Tory treasurer Peter Cruddas, but it has some cross-party support as well, UKIP's only MP Douglas Carswell.</p><p>Until Wednesday, it was led by Elliott and Cummings. Elliott was one of the key figures behind the successful campaign to reject the proposed Alternative Vote system. Cummings used to be a political advisor.</p><p><strong>Leave.EU</strong></p><p>Leave.EU has focused its campaigning on the issue of immigration. It is led by Arron Banks who has ploughed millions of pounds into it. The group also receives funding from Nigel Farage's wealthy friend Jim Mellon.</p><p>Banks used to donate to the Conservatives, but gave £1 million to UKIP in 2014 because he was annoyed that William Hague <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/former-tory-donor-arron-banks-ups-ukip-donation-to-1million-following-william-hague-nobody-comment-9768087.html">suggested he was</a> a "nobody." He really does not like Carswell though and <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/major-ukip-donor-describes-mp-douglas-carswell-as-borderline-autistic-10517188.html">once described him</a> as "borderline autistic with mental illness wrapped in."</p><p>So basically, we have two organisations. One with very strong links to UKIP, the other with very strong links to Eurosceptic mainstream politicians.</p><p>This is very different from the campaign for Britain to remain in the EU where there is really only one show in town -  Britain Stronger In Europe (BSE). The well-financed BSE is backed by three former Prime Ministers -  Sir John Major, Tony Blair, and Gordon Brown and is led by former Marks &amp; Spencer boss Lord Stuart Rose.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56b3864bdd0895ed238b481d-3500-2393/rtr41fbw.jpg" alt="Tony Blair" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany" data-link="http://pictures.reuters.com/" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/">REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany</a></span></p><p class="caption">Tony Blair is supporting the BSE.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>It really matters that there are two big leave campaign groups, because the Electoral Commission, the body that oversees Britain's elections, can only designate one of them as the official leave campaign. It's a big deal to become the official campaign, you <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3430982/How-rank-amateurism-jealousies-petty-hatreds-tearing-apart-rival-camps-writes-ANDREW-PIERCE.html">get around £7 million</a> of public money. </p><p>The obvious thing would be for the two groups to join together, but there's one problem - they really don't like each other.</p><p>At the most basic level, many people within Leave.EU are suspicious that Vote Leave is an 'establishment' organisation. More than one person linked to Leave.EU has told Business Insider they are worried that Vote Leave's leadership aren't even committed to getting Britain out of the EU.</p><p>On the other hand, Business Insider has spoken to senior people within the Vote Leave campaign who basically regard Leave.EU as amateurs. "They don't have a clue what they are doing," one Vote Leave employee told BI.</p><p>However, it's on a personal level that things get really nasty. A UKIP source who backs Leave.EU described Elliott to BI today as "self-interested, unreliable, and manipulative."</p><p>Cummings is also known for not being an easy person to get on with. He was stopped from becoming a government advisor in 2010 by Downing Street's former <a href="http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2014/05/a-profile-of-dominic-cummings-friend-of-gove-and-enemy-of-clegg.html">director of communications Andy Coulson</a> because he was widely seen as being too single-minded to trust.</p><p>All this ill feeling has had real consequences. Back in January, Banks <a href="http://order-order.com/2016/01/18/vote-leave-say-no-merger/">sent a letter to Vote Leave</a> claiming that he wanted to "open up talks about how we can move forward as one unstoppable campaign." However, in the same letter he called Cummings "a liability and a danger to both Leave campaigns." </p><p>So, why did Elliott and Cummings have to step down from the board? A Vote Leave source told Business Insider that politicians within the campaign, particularly the long-time Eurosceptic Conservative MPs, got fed up with the failure to compromise with Leave.EU.</p><p>On January 29, <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4677262.ece">the Times reported</a> that Chris Grayling, the only cabinet minister to have publicly said he wants Britain to leave the EU, was trying to get Cummings kicked out. It seems that on Wednesday Grayling got his wish -but the saga is far from over.</p><p>Elliot and Cummings are off the board, but will, bizarrely, still "attend and contribute to board meetings." A Vote Leave source tells Business Insider that getting rid of them completely would be hard, as they both have the backing of some of Vote Leave's donors.</p><p>With Elliott and Cummings gone, but not really gone, it's anyone's guess as to what happens next. Banks has <a href="http://leave.eu/en/news/2016-02-04/merger-between-vote-leave-and-leaveeu">written another letter</a> both proposing a merger between Leave.EU and Vote Leave and labelling the Vote Leave campaign as "not acceptable." Vote Leave haven't responded to BI's question asking them if they will accept the offer</p><p> A Vote Leave press release claims that Elliott and Cummings stepping down had been "previously planned."  </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-morning-ritual-election-ego-president-2016-1">Donald Trump's 'strange' morning habit tells you everything you need to know about him</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="00ZDlpeDrq4nMK9Rokom5THSdf3IXlfW" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '00ZDlpeDrq4nMK9Rokom5THSdf3IXlfW',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "Peter Cruddas" and got 12 results

Conservative donors who backed Boris Johnson ahead of confidence vote hand party another £2.4 million

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Lords appointments watchdog to be questioned after Boris Johnson overruled its advice on Russian oligarch Evgeny Lebedev and Tory donor Peter Cruddas

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A disgraced Lord gave the Conservatives £500,000 days after his peerage was forced through by Boris Johnson

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Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi's wife Lana Saib co-owns £13.4m property with British Virgin Islands-registered firm

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Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss to be elected Conservative Party leader and UK prime minister

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The Brexit campaign is starting to look like it could win

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Banks and hedge funds are spending millions on the fight over Britain's future in Europe - but it could remain secret

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Everyone in the campaign to get Britain out of the EU is stabbing each other in the back

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