Skip to main content
The Morning Star Shop
Firm accused of laundering money is top Tory donor

THE TORIES’ top donor is a firm which owes millions in unpaid tax and has been accused of “money laundering,” the Electoral Commission revealed yesterday.

Lycamobile, which sells international telephone call time, was already among the top funders having stumped up £1.5 million for the Conservatives since 2011. 

But it tipped over to become the biggest donor of all in the first quarter of 2016, topping up party coffers by another £569,300 between January and March.

The Tories have ignored calls to stop accepting cash from the company until it pays HM Revenue and Customs a corporation tax bill of at least £9.5m. 

The company was also reported to the police for alleged money laundering by a rival company after employers were caught making “suspicious” six-figure cash deposits at a Post Office. 

Yet the Star revealed in March that cabinet ministers have had dinner with Lycamobile boss Subaskaran Allirajah since those allegations arose as part of the Tories’ donor dinner club.

Lycamobile’s largesse has helped the Tories raise £6.7m from big money backers this year — more than every other party combined. 

And an analysis of the donations shows that more than half the Tory total came from a small elite of donors who are part of the Tories’ “leaders group” cash-for-access dinner club. 

For an entry fee of £50,000 per year, Britain’s richest can buy themselves a seat next to Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne and other Tory ministers. 

Labour MP Jess Phillips said the latest figures “show that the Conservative Party is increasingly dependent on money brought in through these exclusive and secretive meetings.”

She said their influence was reflected in the fact that the Tories have cut the top rate of tax while slashing benefits worth £1,600-a-year to working families. 

By contrast, contributions from hundreds of thousands of working people through trade unions made the biggest contribution to the £3.7m raised by Labour in 2016. 

The Women’s Equality Party — which contested its first set of elections in May — received £169,474, more than the Scottish National Party (£108,136) and the Green Party (£103,230).

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
Britain / 14 August 2016
14 August 2016
No-one left behind with schools run NHS-style
Britain / 14 August 2016
14 August 2016
Britain / 12 August 2016
12 August 2016
Court blocks 130,000 from voting
Britain / 12 August 2016
12 August 2016
Similar stories
CAUGHT OUT AGAIN: 
The MP for Birmingham 
Yardley can’t re
Features / 4 December 2024
4 December 2024
Despite promises to clean up her act after previous violations, Home Office minister waited five months to declare a luxury Chelsea flower show dinner with Lloyds Bank, as Labour’s love of freebies continues, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds leaving Downi
Features / 11 October 2024
11 October 2024
Jonathan Reynolds’ appearance at a Starling Bank-sponsored event speaks volumes about Labour’s attitude to financial regulation, as the bank faces criticism over Covid loan fraud and money laundering failures, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
Labour leader Keir Starmer speaks to supporters at a watch p
Britain / 22 August 2024
22 August 2024