Tories received 26 times more than Labour in donations in first week of election

The Tories raked in an eye-watering £5.67 million from big cash donors in the first week of the general election – compared to Labour’s £218,500.

The six largest parties raised a combined total of £6.5 million in donations over £7,500, but 87% of that went straight to the coffers of the Conservative party.

Cash boosts from millionaire entrepreneurs, a private hospital owner, a Russian banker and property developers allowed Boris Johnson’s party to raise 26 times more than Labour in donations.

Jeremy Corbyn’s party received even less than the Lib Dems who pocketed £275,000, and the Brexit Party who took in £250,000.

The figures were published in a weekly pre-election report by the electoral commission.

However, they do not show the full picture of the parties’ election finances, as smaller donations under £7,500 don’t have to be recorded.

Both Labour and the Brexit Party have previously celebrated raising vast sums through smaller personal donations, often made online.

A breakdown of the payments to all parties shows the largest single contribution came from billionaire John Gore, who donated £1 million to the Conservatives.

The Broadway-based theatre producer has previously been dubbed the Tories ‘most generous donor’, giving £1.5m to the party in the final quarter of 2018.

The next three largest donors were the travel company Trailfinders, Countrywide Developers and WA Capital, who each gave £500,000  to the party.

Other Tory donors include Russian banker Lubov Chernukhin, who donated £200,000.

The wife of a former Putin ally, she hit the headlines earlier this year when she was pictured having a ‘ladies night’ with former PM Theresa May after donating £135,000 to the party.

Seven of the Tories’ donors contributed more in one single donation than all of Labour’s donations combined.

Half of Labour’s donations over £7,500 came from Unite the Union, whose largest single contribution was £62,000.

Meanwhile, the Brexit Party’s £250,000 was raised in one donation alone.

English businessman Jeremy Hosking gave a quarter of a million to Nigel Farage’s party.

The Crystal Palace shareholder was previously one of the Conservatives most prominent financial backers, but switched allegiances when the Brexit Party formed in response to the Tories attempts to ‘dilute’ Brexit.