Fact Service May 2010

Issue 20

Tories won donations battle during election

Over £13.3 million was received by the three main political parties during the 31-day general election period, according to the independent party funding regulator, the Electoral Commission.

The Conservative Party won the election money stakes by over £2 million. In the election period it received 171 donations worth a total of £7.3 million. The Labour Party received £5.3 million from 38 donations, while the Liberal Democrats got £724,000 from 20 donations.

The latest commission figures show that nearly £2.8 million of these donations were received from 4-6 May, the last of five special reporting periods.

In final period, the Conservatives received £1.6 million from 35 donations, Labour was given £1.1 million in six donations, while the Liberal Democrats had to make do with one donation of £20,000 from the health supplements company Vitabiotics.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance/uk-general-election-donations-and-borrowings