Labour gets election funding boost after Unite donate £3m to party war chest
2 min read
Labour has been given an election funding boost after Unite donated £3million to them last week.
New figures from the Electoral Commission show the party took in more from large donations than the Conservatives thanks to the cash injection from their biggest trade union backer.
Unite, led by key Jeremy Corbyn ally Len McCluskey, handed down the biggest single donation of the election campaign so far.
It saw Labour rack up £3,488,000 into their coffers during the second reporting period, from 13 to 19 November.
The report shows £425,000 of that came from another union, the CWU, as well as £35,000 from green energy firm owner Dale Vince, who is also chairman of Forest Green Rovers football club.
In the same week the Tories took in £2,967,000, largely thanks for nine six-figure donations from individuals including £200,000 from American hedge fund manager Yan Huo.
But Boris Johnson’s party far outstripped Mr Corbyn’s in the first week of the election campaign, giving them a running total of £8,640,646 in donations of more than £7,500.
That is more than double Labour’s £3,706,500, although they say they have received a large amount of cash in small donations, which are not included in the weekly Electoral Commission reports.
Elsewhere the Brexit Party took in £2,250,000 thanks to two donations, one of £2m from businessman Christopher Harborne and £250,000 from regular backer and City financier Jeremy Hosking.
It means that Mr Harborne has now handed over more than £5million to Nigel Farage’s party since it was set up earlier this year, after it was revealed he gave them £3million this summer.
The Lib Dems were given £251,000, partly thanks to £100,000 from Noel Hayden, the founder of an online gaming and gambling firm.
Meanwhile Plaid Cymru received £70,000, the Greens £37,750 and the SNP just £10,000 as part of a total of £9,073,750 in donations across all parties.
The Electoral Commission said that compares to £2,489,469 reported in the second weekly pre-poll report before the 2017 general election.
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