Final Tory leadership candidates’ donations rise to £900,000

The remaining Conservative leadership candidates have declared another £112,500 in campaign donations as voting draws to a close on Thursday.

The latest update to the Register of MPs’ Interests shows frontrunner Kemi Badenoch received £82,500 between September 22 and October 11, taking her total for the campaign to £422,500.

The largest donation in that period came from billionaire Tory backer Alan Howard, who gave the former business secretary £40,000 for her campaign.

Sir Rocco Forte

She also received £20,000 from luxury hotel owner Sir Rocco Forte, whose only political donation since 2019 was a £10,000 gift to then-Conservative MP Steve Baker in 2023.

Ms Badenoch’s opponent, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, declared another £30,000 on top of the £450,000 he had already raised.

Most of that money came in a single donation of £25,000 from one Benjamin Hosking.

Result

Voting in the Conservative leadership contest closes on Thursday, with the result declared on Saturday.

But candidates have 28 days to register any further donations with parliamentary authorities.

Thursday’s update to the Register of Interests also showed eliminated candidate Tom Tugendhat received £90,000 in late September and early October, including £20,000 from former Conservative treasurer Sir Mick Davis and £50,000 from billionaire property developer Sir Tony Gallagher via his company Countywide Developments.