Anti-corruption charity has called for ban on parties accepting donations from companies with public contractsCompanies linked to Conservative donors have collectively received £8.4bn in public money since 2016, analysis shows, more than 150 times what the party has received in support.Government spending and political donation records reveal that key contributors have given £53.7m to the Tory party since January 2015, while controlling firms that have received billions in government and NHS contracts over eight years.Frank Hester, whose company The Phoenix Partnership has received £427.7m from the NHS and Department for Health since 2016, and who has donated £15.3m to the Conservatives since 2023. The businessman, mired in a row about comments condemned as racist and misogynistic, gave the Conservative party £5m in January.JCB Service, which donated almost £3.3m between May 2017 and September last year. Companies within the same corporate grouping have directly received £566,161 between April 2016 and April this year.Richard Harpin, who has donated £2.7m between May 2016 and March 2024, including a donation from a company he has significant control over: Growth Partner LLP. His firms Harmony Bridge Limited and Liberty House (Hull) Ltd received a combined £730,980 from Homes England between May 2019 and August 2021.Dr Selva Pankaj, who has donated £727,000 to the Conservatives since November 2015. His company FP(GB) LTD (formerly known as Fortress Properties) received £4,733,336 from Homes England between November 2020 and August 2023. Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/27/public-contracts-companies-tory-donors
Author : Michael Goodier and Carmen Aguilar García
Publish date : 2024-06-27 16:16:36
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