An examination of the latest data on the register of donations at the Electoral Commission throws up some very interesting information. What it reveals is a well-organised and well-funded Labour right wing, with anti-Corbyn MPs and organisations in possession of a sizeable war chest thanks to their rich and wealthy friends.
Politics it seems is a very expensive business. An examination of the latest data on the register of donations at the Electoral Commission throws up some very interesting information. This official register records all known and declared donations above a certain limit made by individuals, companies, organisations, countries, etc. to British MPs, political parties and registered political organisations – the “regulated donees” as they are called.
Most of these either involve payments made from local party organisations or affiliates to national offices or the refunding of costs for MPs to go on various jollies (sorry, funded fact finding trips). A number of MPs also receive individual or organisational support, including union-sponsored Labour MPs. This is not to be confused with personal earnings that MPs accrue on top of their parliamentary salaries. These are declared in the parliamentary registers…but that is another story.
The sponsorship of certain MPs by individuals – whose motives are not stated in the Commission returns – is interesting to say the least, as information from the last 12-month period reveals.
Mercenaries for hire
This February, for example, Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, received a nice £10,000 from Sir Trevor Chinn; no doubt so that Watson can spend more time trying to stab Jeremy Corbyn in the back. Incidentally, Chinn’s name will pop up more than once in this article, as we shall see.
Another MP from Labour’s right, Rachel Reeves recently received £5,000 from one Paul Myners and £6,000 from Sir David Garrard. Dan Jarvis MP got £12,000 from Peter Hearn, who also covered the staff costs of Yvette Cooper MP to the tune of over £13,000.
Chuka Umunna MP has also done well getting £50,000 in support from a Michael Spalter and £15,000 from Nick Campsie. However, Mr Campsie had been hedging his bets by giving £20,000 to Theresa May’s leadership campaign last summer. Another chum of Rachel Reeves, Lisa Nandy MP, got £5,000, again from the ever-generous Sir Trevor Chinn.
Blairites stuffed with cash
Organisations on the right of Labour also feature here, as they have done over recent years. Progress Ltd has its regular “subs” of £65,000 from Lord David Sainsbury, recorded along with £25,000 from Matthew Oakeshott.
Another Blairite group, Labour Tomorrow Ltd, received a number of juicy donations last year: £20,000 from the right-wing “union” Community; £10,000 from Fieldbonds Ltd; £10,000 from Paul Myners; and £25,000 from good old Matthew Oakeshott. Another individual called Martin Taylor is recorded as giving over a quarter of a million pounds over a period of time to this group, as well as making regular donations of £10,000 to the office of Dan Jarvis MP. Mr Taylor is a hedge-fund manager who has openly expressed support for Labour in the past.
Labour Tomorrow, backed by David Blunkett, states that their aim is to fund “centre-left” projects, but has posted nothing on its website since last year. Oddly enough, an entity called Labour Tomorrow is recorded as making payments in the later half of 2016 totalling over £100,000 in cash and kind to another Blairite group, the misnamed Saving Labour. The website of Saving Labour is also pretty dormant, but their twitter feed is a rogues gallery of Blairite. Lest we forget, Sir Trevor Chinn (him again) also gave £10,000 to Saving Labour. It’s a small world.
The handsomely funded Owen Smith
It is when we come to look at the recorded donations for the two candidates in last year’s Labour leadership election that the most interesting picture emerges. Jeremy Corbyn has a couple of medium donations from individuals, along with support from a number of trade unions recorded. Of course, the huge number of donations from individual party members, trade unionists, members of the public, etc. do not appear in this log as they are too small.
A different picture, however, emerges with the challenger from the right, Owen Smith. Here we see a sizable number of large donations from individuals for Smith’s leadership campaign being logged.
In an article of this size it is impossible to list the many “small” contributions made of just a few thousand pounds per head. However, much larger donations included: over £75,000 in total from Charlie Parsons; £21,000 in total from – surprise, surprise – Sir Trevor Chinn; £10,000 from Matthew Oakeshott; £50,000 from Steve Kinsella; £10,000 from Evan Davies; £100,000 from Allamhouse Ltd (owned by the family that wanted to set up a new Labour Party after Corbyn was elected leader); £100,000 from Georgina Black; £10,000 from Steve Groves; £25,000 from Sir Maurice Blank; £37,500 from Bonus Ltd; £30,000 from Jonathan Goldstein; £25,000 from Sir David Garrard; £10,000 from Edward Coaches Ltd; and on and on and on.
Whereas Jeremy Corbyn was getting his financial support from the millions, Owen Smith was being clearly being funded by the millionaires.
The murky world of Westminster
Of course, there is nothing illegal going on here, and all payments were clearly made openly and above board, at least to those prepared to peruse the Electoral Commission website. We also have no information as to the motives of those making the donations, other than that they were made to support political work and did not personally benefit the donees. Maybe they could all just be interested in promoting political discussion…?
Clearly there is something more going on here though. There is a reason why the same names pop up time and time again. Whilst most millionaires and big business companies are too stingy to finance their political representatives, some are clearing acting to see that establishment politics is well funded and to ensure that the elite are well looked after.
Of course, all that cash rolling into Owen Smith’s war chest did not produce the desired result in the end. Nevertheless, the funding of Labour’s right wing continues and represents a warning to all.
These substantial donations to key elements on Labour’s right – as well as the huge funding made over decades to the Tory party from big business, which has enabled them to outspend Labour in all recent elections – shows how the establishment operates. Just as they dominate the media, so they aim to dominate the political process.
Ironically, these are also the forces that complain most loudly about trade union funding of the Labour Party. Far be it that the working class should be allowed to have a voice, they mutter. Instead, these pipers are all over Westminster, demanding that MPs dance to their tune, and many are more than happy to do so.
For a workers’ MP on a worker’s wage!
All these double-standards should be swept away. Labour MPs should have their work financed by the Labour and trade union movement and be held accountable to that movement and our class. If any Labour MP, sitting in their plush offices, does not like this then they should go, or be made to go.
We need working class Labour MPs, ready to represent ordinary people as workers’ MPs on a worker’s wage; ready to fight for socialism. Only then will workers feel confident about the motives of those who represents them.
Felix Lighter
