The Tories biggest donor in the general election campaign so far is a billionaire who is registered as living in the Bahamas.<\/p>\n
Boris Johnson s party banked 5.7million in donations of 7,500 or more in the week from November 6 to 12 26 times more than Labour . <\/p>\n
And theatre boss John Gore was the biggest single benefactor, handing over 1million to bring his total contribution to the Tories to 4.8million since 2017.<\/p>\n
Mr Gore joined the Sunday Times Rich List this year, with a personal fortune of 1.5billion, made from producing musicals such as Wicked and Chicago.<\/p>\n
He said earlier this year: I have chosen to stick my head into the mad world of politics when it is at its maddest. I am a British citizen with an outside eye.<\/p>\n
Its not unlike being a director. I can see this show is going wrong that its going to crash. I hope I can do something to get it into shape and help it flourish.<\/p>\n
Mr Gore, 57, was born in Southport, Merseyside, and is registered as a director of two firms at Companies House, giving his nationality as English and his country of residence as Bahamas.<\/p>\n
The Caribbean island is infamous for being a tax haven. There is no income tax, no corporation tax, no capital gains tax and no wealth tax.<\/p>\n
But Mr Gore told the Mirror: I am employed by a US company so thats where I pay my tax. A big amount. That is where I am tax resident.<\/p>\n
Asked why Companies House records state his country of residence is the Bahamas, Mr Gore said: I have looked into that and I think it is because they needed an address.<\/p>\n
The next three largest Tory donors were travel firm Trailfinders, Countrywide Developers and WA Capital, who each gave 500,000.<\/p>\n
The party also received 200,000 from Lubov Chernukhin, the wife of a former Russian minister. In the past she paid 160,000 to play tennis with Boris Johnson.<\/p>\n
Of the 7.1million of donations made to all parties revealed by the Electoral Commission yesterday, 87% went to the Conservatives.<\/p>\n
Labour Chairman Ian Lavery said: While the Conservative Party is in the pockets of vested interests and the super-rich, we are proud that the Labour Party is funded by hundreds of thousands of people donating what they can afford to build a fairer society.<\/p>\n
Labour declared 218,500 in donations of 7,500 or more in the same period, just 3% of the total. Both the Liberal Democrats and the Brexit Party received more. <\/p>\n
Labours left-wing campaigning arm, Momentum, said it had raised over 450,000 from small donations.<\/p>\n
At the end of 2018, the Tories posted a first deficit in eight years and were in a worse financial position than Labour, according to accounts in August.<\/p>\n
However, the party raised more than Labour earlier this year as it became apparent an election was looming.<\/p>\n
A party spokesperson said: The Conservative Party is funded by membership, fundraising and donations, including over 600 local associations across the country.<\/p>\n
The Electoral Commission figures exclude the significant sums we have received from small donations.<\/p>\n
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See the article here:<\/p>\n
Boris Johnson's Tories handed 1million by billionaire tycoon based in Bahamas - Mirror Online<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Tories biggest donor in the general election campaign so far is a billionaire who is registered as living in the Bahamas. Boris Johnson s party banked 5.7million in donations of 7,500 or more in the week from November 6 to 12 26 times more than Labour . And theatre boss John Gore was the biggest single benefactor, handing over 1million to bring his total contribution to the Tories to 4.8million since 2017 Continue reading