Election donations: Tories given most of record 拢40.1m total

Image source, PA

Political parties were given a record 拢40.1m in donations ahead of June's general election - and the Conservatives received more than all their rivals combined.

New figures from the Electoral Commission covering the 11 largest parties show 拢24.8m was given to the Tories from April to June, more than double Labour's 拢9.4m.

The Lib Dems were given 拢4.3m.

The total was 拢9.4m more than the previous highest quarter on record.

The previous record quarter coincided with the 2015 general election.

The biggest donor over the three-month period covering the 2017 general election campaign was the Unite union - which gave 拢4.1m to Labour - followed by the construction vehicle manufacturer JCB, which donated 拢1.5m to the Tories.

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft, who said last year that he would start donating to the Tories again having fallen out with former leader David Cameron, gave 拢500,000.

Electoral Commission director of political finance and regulation Bob Posner said: "The snap general election prompted political parties to raise record-breaking sums in the second quarter of 2017.

"The reporting and publication of this data is key to providing voters with transparency about how political parties financed their general election campaigns."

Here are the figures for the 11 largest parties:

  • Conservatives - 拢24,840,627
  • Labour - 拢9,492,519
  • Liberal Democrats - 拢4,358,410
  • Scottish National Party - 拢596,000
  • Women's Equality Party - 拢282,931
  • Green Party - 拢176,363
  • UKIP - 拢156,455
  • Co-operative Party - 拢150,980
  • British National Party - 拢100,000
  • The Socialist Party of Great Britain - 拢26,333
  • Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales - 拢5,300