Labour receives £350,000 more in private donations than Tories

Sir Keir Starmer, with Angela Rayner following the launch of his party's manifesto, will be celebrating a sum of £894,000 in donations handed to the party between May 30 and June 5 - STEFAN ROUSSEAU/PA

Labour received £350,000 more in private donations than the Tories in the first week of the election campaign, new figures reveal.

In a blow to Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer’s party was handed £894,000 by individuals and companies between May 30 and June 5, compared to the Conservatives’ £546,418, according to the latest statistics from the Electoral Commission.

It is the first indication of how private donors are responding to the Labour and Tory campaigns since Parliament was dissolved on May 30.

Labour’s biggest donor was Duncan Kenworthy, the Love Actually producer who gave £500,000, while the Tories generated their largest sum from Lebanese businessman Bassim Haidar, who has expressed concerns about both parties’ plans to scrap the non-dom tax status.

Duncan Kenworthy, the Love Actually producer, gave the Labour party £500,000 - GISELA SCHOBER/GETTY

With donations from all sources factored in – including public funds – Labour made nearly £1 million more than the Conservatives in the first week of the campaign, generating £1,579,319 compared to their rivals’ £597,372.

The figures are a sign that Sir Keir’s attempts to win back the trust of the private sector by distancing himself from his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn are paying off.

In the past, the Tories have typically attracted bigger donations from individuals and companies, while Labour has tended to lean more heavily on trade union support.

It will be a disappointment for Mr Sunak, with the Tories having geared up their efforts to reach out to donors in the run-up to the campaign launch. The Prime Minister is believed to have met more than 10 of the Conservatives’ most generous donors at a private event at a London hotel on May 27.

The figures build on the progress Labour has made winning over private donors in recent years. Around £13 million of the central party’s takings came from individuals and companies last year – more than double the amount raised in 2022, and more than eight times the sum generated in 2021.

It comes after Labour hailed its “best fundraising year ever” in March, with Anneliese Dodds, the party chair, putting it down to Sir Keir’s leadership.

In the first week of the campaign, the bulk of Labour’s money came in the form of a £500,000 donation from Toledo Productions Ltd, whose owner Mr Kenworthy produced several romantic comedies starring Hugh Grant, including Love Actually and Notting Hill.

Anneliese Dodds, the party chair, said in March that Labour's 'best fundraising year' last year was down to Sir Keir Starmer's leadership - GARY ROBERTS/SHUTTERSTOCK

It appears to be Mr Kenworthy’s first donation to a political party, although the producer did donate £5,000 to David Miliband’s unsuccessful bid for the Labour leadership in 2010.

Other significant donations to Labour included £100,000 from entrepreneur Tony Bury and £70,000 each from businessman Clive Hollick, also a Labour peer, and hedge fund manager Stuart Rosen.

Labour also benefited from £652,411 in public funds from the House of Commons following the dissolution of Parliament, and £32,908 from the Communication Workers Union, bringing the total raised by the party during the week to £1.58 million.

For the Conservatives, the largest single donation was £75,000 from Mr Haidar, who told The Guardian in May he was “urgently” looking to leave the UK after both main parties promised to scrap the non-dom tax status.

Mr Haidar also provided £13,085 worth of “travel” for the Tories.

Meanwhile, the party received £75,000 from former oil services company chairman Alasdair Locke, and £50,000 each from former party treasurer Lord Michael Farmer and gas turbine company Centrax Industries, controlled by the Barr family.

The Lib Dems raised slightly less than the Conservatives, receiving £454,999 in the first week of the campaign, including £150,000 from businessman Safwan Adam.

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