Cash-strapped Tories ‘cut election spending’ after donations plummet

The Conservatives are holding back spending on the election campaign to save cash to ensure the party can keep running after an expected drubbing on Thursday, insiders believe.

There are complaints over the amount of money being spent by party headquarters (CCHQ) on individual candidates’ campaigns, with Tories lamenting the fact they have to cover all expenses themselves, including for online campaigns.

It has been suggested that despite amassing a substantial war chest ahead of the election campaign, large sums are being held back in order to help the party rebuild after the expected heavy defeat on Thursday.

One candidate said that they had not seen any leaflets sent out under “national spend”, meaning from central headquarter funds – but had received a Sir Keir Starmer leaflet through their own letterbox.

“We’re having to do everything ourselves. We’ve had nothing from central office pretty much for the entire campaign,” they said.

A second candidate said they did not think they had received “anything” from CCHQ, adding: “But I wouldn’t want it anyway.”

Thy went on to describe central campaign materials as “rubbish” and “crap”, citing a letter sent out to voters written as if it had been sent by the recipient from 20 years in the future, after having voted for Reform.

The letter says: “My vote – sorry, our vote – for Reform didn’t get us any Reform MPs. Just more Labour.”

It adds: “Because so many other people across the country voted Reform, people just like you and me, we let in hundreds more Labour MPs get in who wouldn’t have won otherwise – not to mention dozens of Lib Dems MPs more left wing than Labour.

“So I’ve been living with a Labour supermajority for the last two decades.”

The lack of central campaigning in some seats was compared to 2019, when there was plenty of funding for digital campaigning – but none had been provided this time.

A minister added: “There has been no cash for me. I’m having to pay for all my own activity.”

It is not a pattern replicated in every constituency however, with one candidate saying “direct mail stuff in my seat has landed yesterday”.

A Tory former special adviser said the party may be saving money to ensure it can continue campaigning in opposition, with donations already slowing down dramatically as the party’s likely defeat on 4 July has become clear.

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Electoral Commission figures show donations to the Tories were dwarfed by Labour in the opening three weeks of the campaign, with Rishi Sunak’s party raking in £1.2m, compared to £8.6m for Sir Keir Starmer’s party, which looks on course for Downing Street.

In the second week of the campaign, the Tories (£292,500) even received less in donations than Nigel Farage’s Reform (£742,000).

The former special adviser said: “I have heard that they’re saving resources for later and that they need to keep the party running after the election.”

And an ex-official at CCHQ added: “Even though clearly they will be alright for the election, at what point does it become an operational problem, and what are the implications of that?

“And does it mean they may need to keep holding their nose on potentially slightly unsavoury donors?”

Dismissing speculation that the party is broke, one CCHQ source insisted that the party had had “a huge fundraising advantage” in the run-up to the election which meant its finances are still relatively sound.

The source also dismissed concerns about big-name Tory donors announcing they had stopped giving to the party, saying: “It’s when you read stories about ‘major donors’ who you’ve never heard of that’s particularly annoying!”

The Conservatives were asked to respond.

Election 2024

The general election campaign is almost at an end as polling day looms on 4 July. Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer and other party leaders have battled to win votes over six weeks, and i‘s election live blog has covered it from the first moment.

Every party’s manifesto is out, with Tories, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Reform UK sharing why they should get your vote. Read i‘s manifesto comparison on each of the main party’s pledges on issues such as NHS, education, defence, devolution, tax, spending, HS2 and housing.

You can read the polls, check which constituencies could be deciders, ensure you’re informed about who to vote for, and make sure you’re weather-ready before you head to your polling station on Thursday.