New Labour: Donors

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This section features details of the many 'high-value' donors and sponsors of the Labour Party from 1996-1999. All those listed here have given more than £5,000 (the exact figures are given when we could find them). The Labour Party's accounts for 1999 show that 60% of its income comes from donors (20% from donors over £5,000) and 10% comes from commercial activities (events and sponsorship). The Trade Unions, who once generated 90% of the Party's income, now provide only 30% (and only 3 high-value donations in 1998-9).

The proportion of New Labour's funds coming from very rich individuals has dramatically increased in the last 4 years and continues to do so, as Tony Blair moves to distance himself from any responsibility to the Unions and the Party's traditional core of working class supporters. What was supposed to be the 'Party of the working class' is funded by the rich and packed out with businessmen.

The rewards are big for the big spenders - for example, of the 97 official high-value donors in 1998-9 more than 30 have received some kind of Government job. A large number of rich donors have received peerages, knighthoods or Task Force jobs, establishing a set of unelected bosses and millionaires in the heart of the Labour Government - from Lord Sainsbury's peerage and Science Minister job (he has given more than £3 million since 1996) to Robert Devereux's job as Chair of the Creative Industries Task Force.

The list also includes companies like Raytheon Systems, an arms manufacturer bidding for Government contracts and Enron, the failed energy multinational which is the subject of a huge financial scandal. Lobbying companies with clients that include Rupert Murdoch's News International, Tesco and Scottish Power also feature heavily.


In September 1999 an opinion poll (ICM) found that 52% of people thought that Tony Blair did not care enough about Labour's traditional working class supporters. Almost the same amount thought Blair paid too much attention to rich people who give Labour large donations.

In another poll the month before, only 26% of workers said they believed that management and employees were 'on the same side' (Joseph Rowntree Foundation study). In a country where 55% of the population consider themselves to be working class (ICM poll), Blair's 1999 speech to the CBI that he is 'proud to be pro-business' places him very squarely in opposition to those same workers.

According to one of his former aides, Tony Blair is almost boyishly impressed - even wide-eyed - in the company of rich businessmen. Perhaps that is why he boasts that, even after the Fairness at Work legislation, British law was 'the most restrictive on Trade Unions in the Western world'.

When Peter Mandelson was Trade and Industry Secretary, he told the CBI that his brief from Blair was 'to act as a vocal and tenacious advocate of the needs of wealth creation and business'. His replacement, Stephen Byers told the House of Commons in March 1999 that he was 'putting the interests of business first'.

Each person or company on the list has a picture and a brief description of who they are and what they do. You can then move on to find more in-depth information by clicking on their picture, which will take you to pages providing details about their company, business or personal history. You can also navigate between pages by clicking on the appropriate page number.

Where individuals are part of the networks of power and influence woven around Tony Blair's New Labour Party, you can follow links which will take you through the trail of interconnections that runs through the site. If at any time you want to move to another section of the site, you can use the top navigation bar.

The Donors

Donors and Sponsors for 2001

With the introduction of the Electoral Commission in February 2001, there is now much more access to the details of large donations to the Labour Party. Conversely, some of the really big donors appear to have rushed to get their money in before they needed to be listed, so the figures are unusually small for a pre-election period. The details of some of these 'missing' donors were released in September 2001.

  • Lord Sainsbury The biggest donor of the year was Lord David Sainsbury, who gave £2 million to the Labour Party in January 2001, and again in December 2001, making a total of £9 million in 5 years.

Donors in March 2001

Jonathan Altaras (celebrity agent) Gave £1,500 William Bottreill (recruitment company S3) Gave £2,000 Lord Chris Haskins Gave £10,000 Graham Jones Gave £5,050 Alexandra Marks (Partner at Linklaters law firm) Gave £1,300 Joan Morgan Gave £4,000 Lord Joel Joffe Gave £10,000 Christopher Ondaatje Gave £1,200 Lord Swarj Paul Gave £10,000 Alec Reed Gave £10,000 John Reynolds Gave £4,000 Vanni Treves Gave £1,600 David Yallop Gave £2,000 Engineering and Maritime Training Authority Gave £5,875 Law Business Research Ltd Gave £1,500 Richalis Ltd (software ccompany) Gave £8,000 Robert Wann Gave £5,000 Ruobal Properties Ltd (landlords) Gave £4,000 UPS (UK) Ltd Gave £17,625 PriceWaterhouseCoopers (as workers' salaries) Gave £22,958

Sponsors in 2001

Scottish Power Gave £1,500 (February) Bloomberg Gave £11,548 (May)

Services in kind

Peoples Ltd (car dealers) Gave £2,000 (June) QSP Ltd (web hosting) Gave £8,000 (March)

Donors in May 2001

Alan Sugar Gave £200,000 Sir Sigmund Sternberg Gave £100,000 Geraldine Jeffrey Gave £12,000

Gerry Robinson Gave £20,000 Ruth Harding Gave £6,000 Tim Waterstone Gave £12,000 Lakshmi Mittal Gave £125,000 Christopher Ondaatje Gave £100,000 Michael Frayn, writer Gave £10,000


Vanni Treves Vanni Treves Chairman of Equitable Life, Chairman of Channel 4 Gave £1,600

David Yallop David Yallop Millionaire author and journalist Gave £2,000

Lord Haskins Lord Chris Haskins Chairman, Northern Foods and Express Dairies Gave £10,000


John Reynolds John Reynolds Co-Head of European Utilities at Credit Suisse First Boston bank. Gave £4,000

Bill Bottriell Bill Bottriell Director of Solutions in Staffing & Software Gave £2,000

Richard Williams Richard Williams Managing Director, Richalis Ltd Gave £8,000


Christopher Ondaatje Christopher Ondaatje Former banker who gave £2 million in 2000 Gave £101,200

Sponsors in 2001

Scottish Power Gave £1,500 (February) Bloomberg Gave £11,548 (May)

Services in kind

Peoples Ltd (car dealers) Gave £2,000 (June) QSP Ltd (web hosting) Gave £8,000 (March) Alec Reed Alec Reed Chairman of Reed Executive Gave £10,000

Lakshmi Mittal Lakshmi Mittal Billionaire CEO of Ispat International Gave £125,000


Alan Sugar Alan Sugar Chairman of Amstrad and Executive Chairman of Viglen Ltd Gave £200,000

Sir Sigmund Sternberg Sir Sigmund Sternberg Chairman of Isys plc Gave £100,000

Charles Peel Charles Peel Chairman of City stockbrokers, Peel Hunt


Dr David Potter Chairman of Psion, computer manufacturers. Gave £90,000

Donors in June 2001

Tom Hunter Gave £100,000 Gulam Noon Gave £100,000 James Boyle Gave £5,500 Sir Ronald Cohen Gave £100,000 Len Collinson Gave £6,600 Tony and Rita Gallagher Gave £9,999.98 Lord Haskel Gave £6,000 Eddie Izzard Gave £10,000 Lord Mitchell Gave £25,000 Dr David Potter (Psion) Gave £90,000 Euan Snowie (Snowie Group) Gave £5,000 Tom Hunter Tom Hunter Made £252 million by selling Sports Division in 1998. Gave £100,000

Snowie Group Euan Snowie Snowie Group. Director of Stirling County rugby club Gave £5,000


Peter Gilman Peter Gilman Chairman of GMI Holdings and Thorpe Park (Leeds) Gave £5,000 GMI Holdings (Peter Gilman) Gave £5,000 Sukhbinder SW Sandha Gave £10,000 Moni Varma Gave £10,000 Martin Webb Gave £1,500 Sunil Wickremeratne Gave £6,000 Richard Wilson (actor) Gave £6,500 Peter Thompson Gave £20,000 Lord Taylor Gave £2,000 Ballathie Estates Gave £25,000 Castle Point Heating & Gas Gave £6,500 CBA Enterprises Gave £2,500 De Brus Marketing Services Gave £3,000 Esson Properties Ltd Gave £5,000 Peter Thompson Peter Thompson Chairman of the Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board Gave £20,000

Veetee Rice Moni Varma Managing Director of the Veetee Rice company Gave £10,000


Wales and West Passenger Trains Wales and West Passenger Trains

Gave £1,500 Wales and West Passenger Trains Gave £1,500 John McInespie (lawyer) Gave £6,634 Brian Abbs (author) Gave £1,931.17 Fiona Bell (actress) Gave £7,000 Texacan Trousers Gave £2,000 Mirror Group Newspapers Gave £5,000 Maurice Millward (former Chairman of Millward Brown) Gave £1,500 Leo Abse & Cohen (solicitors) Gave £2,100 Highgate Beds Gave £2,000 Delta Cloud Ltd Gave £2,000 Westmere Ltd Gave £2,000 Other donors include: John O'Farrell (writer), Mr T Cooper, Richard Hunt, A Patel, Hannah Reed, Mr T Suliaman, Giles Wright. Mirror Group Newspapers Mirror Group Newspapers

Gave £5,000

Leonard Collinson Leonard Collinson Former Chairman, Newsco Publications. Director, Collinson Grant Group

Dr Paul Drayson Dr Paul Drayson Chief Executive of Powderject, a pharmaceutical company. Gave £50,000

Donors in July/August 2001

Bloomberg UK plc Gave £17,625 Brunswick Gave £9,000 GMI Holdings (Peter Gilman) Gave £2,000 Sanderson Knight Properties Gave £1,500 Wiggins Group Gave £8,000 Dr Paul Drayson Gave £50,000 Cormac Hollingsworth (bond trader) Gave £2,000 Mohamed Ramzan Gave £2,000 Mrs C.D. Woodward Gave £10,000 H. Ennis Gave £3,000 Brunswick Brunswick Group International PR firm Gave £9,000

Wiggins Group The Wiggins Group Property developers Gave £8,000


Peter Coates Peter Coates Lindley Catering Investments Gave £25,000

Donors in September 2001

British Airways Gave £1,450 DLA Partners Gave £11,050 Independent News and Media Gave £25,000 Compaq Computers Ltd Gave £7,500 Lindley Catering Investments (Peter Coates) Gave £25,000 SEEBOARD plc Gave £8,700 Fiona Bell Gave £3,366 Christopher Ondaatje Gave £1,500 Russell Sullman, East London dentist Gave £1,500 DLA DLA Partners Top Ten law firm Gave £11,500

Airtours plc Airtours plc Gave £6,000

Peel Holdings Peel Holdings plc Property development company, owners of the Trafford Centre and the Manchester Ship Canal Gave £5,287

Donors or Sponsors in Nov/Dec 2001

Lord David Sainsbury Gave £1,000,000 Airtours plc Gave £6,000 DLA Corporate Advisory Ltd Gave £5,554 Citigate Westminster Gave £16,161 Ortivus UK Ltd Gave £5,875 Peel Holdings plc Gave £5,287 Vauxhall Motors Ltd Gave £7,050 Charles Peel Gave £50,000 Ortivus UK Ortivus UK Ltd Swedish medical manufacturer's UK branch Gave £5,875

Vauxhall Motors Vauxhall Motors Car manufacturers Gave £7,050

Barbara Follett Barbara Follett

Gave £3,000 Sally Tan Gave £10,000 Barbara Follett Gave £3,000 Mr D. Barker Gave £1,750 D. Clayton-Jones Gave £2,000 Christopher Ondaatje Gave £1,000

1999-2000

Many of the donors on this page have also given money to the Labour Party before 1999 and are featured on other pages. If you want to find out more about the individuals listed, please follow the links to their individual pages, click on their picture or investigate this section page by page using the numbers at the bottom.

Lord Hamlyn Christopher Ondaatje Lord Sainsbury

At the start of January 2001 the Labour Party revealed three new donations of £2 million from 3 very rich men: Lord Hamlyn, Lord Sainsbury and former Tory supporter Christopher Ondaatje.

2 donors knighted in 2000 New Years Honours List: Dr Chris Evans and Ronald Cohen of Apax Partners.

Demetrios Apostolou Director of electrical equipment retailers

Donors in 1999-2000

All these donors have paid the Labour Party more than £5,000:

Demetrios Apostolou Lord Alex Bernstein Professor S.K. Bhattacharyya Robert Bourne - Jimmy Boyle John Boyle - Melvyn Bragg David J.B. Brown, Multidrive Ltd Leslie Butterfield City Grove Leisure plc Leonard Collinson, Newsco Publications David J.B. Brown David J.B. Brown Managing Director of Multidrive Ltd, military vehicle manufacturers

Leonard Collinson Leonard Collinson Former Chairman, Newsco Publications. Director, Collinson Grant Group


Henry Tinsley Henry Tinsley Chairman, Tinsley Foods Ltd

Felix Dennis James G. Duncan Eastern Group Dr Chris Evans Audrey Eyton - Lord Gavron Lord Grantchester, Millionaire dairy farmer Sally Greene - Ruth Harding Lord Chris Haskins William Haughey Mick Hucknall Isaac Kaye Clive W. Leach Frank Lowe Christopher Mackenzie Moni Varma Moni Varma Managing Director, Veetee Rice Company

Eastern Group Eastern Group Multi-utility company


Severn Trent Severn Trent Utility Company formerly run by Vic Cocker

Alan McGee - Robert Murray Gulam Noon - Vision Posters Dr Chai Patel - Ian Skelly Professor Alec Reed - Gerry Robinson Lord Sainsbury SLP Investments Ltd Neil Tennant - Peter J. Thompson Henry Tinsley - Tinsley Foods Ltd Moni Varma - Veetee Rice Company Robert A. Wann, former Leicester councillor and Chair of Leicester Police Authority Sprintinca (Peter Coates) J. Barbour & Sons - the posh coat manufacturers James Fisher & Sons J. Barbour & Sons J. Barbour & Sons

Glenyork Glenyork Ltd Electrical wholesale company run by Uri David


Bell Pottinger Bell Pottinger PR company

Sponsors 1999-2000

Sponsors of the Labour Party for more than £5,000:

BG plc - British Midland BSkyB - Butler Kelly Cable Communications Association Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Connex Rail DLA Upstream, PR company First Software UK Ltd The Independent Manchester Airport plc British Midland British Midland Airline run by Sir Michael Bishop

Connex Rail Connex Rail Train company owned by Vivendi, a French utility company


DLA Upstream DLA Upstream PR company

McDonalds McNiff Civil Engineering The Mirror New Statesman One 2 One Pfizer Ltd SEEBoard, utility company Severn Trent plc, utility company Tesco plc UPS (UK) Ltd Vauxhall Motors Wiggins Group William Haughey Yorkshire Television Zurich Financial Services (UKISA) Ltd First Software First Software UK Ltd Supply software to local authorities

McDonalds McDonalds McMurder Gave £15,000 for drinks at a reception during the 20001 Labour Party Conference.


McNiff Civil Engineering McNiff Civil Engineering Cardiff-based engineering contractor

"Tickets for dinners" Paul Adamson Brunswick Group Ltd, PR company Butler Kelly Ltd, consultants Citigate Public Affairs, PR company Crag Group Ltd, consultancy Enron Europe Ltd Finsbury Ltd, PR company GJW Government Relations Ltd Haris Sophoclides - Glenyork Ltd Kingfisher plc, owners of Woolworths, B&Q and Comet One 2 One One 2 One Owned by Deutsche Telekom, the largest telecommunications company in Europe

Pfizer Ltd Pfizer Ltd Multinational pharmaceutical company


Zurich Financial Services Zurich Financial Services UK division is run by Sandy Leitch, head of the New Deal Task Force

Carole Stone Swiss Life (UK) plc Tesco plc Zurich Financial Services (UKISA) Ltd "Services in kind" Ernst & Young KPMG Peoples Ltd (transport) Lotus Oracle Andersen Consulting Freeserve Carole Stone Carole Stone London socialite (not Socialist!)

Swiss Life Swiss Life (UK) plc One of the largest life and pension companies in Europe


Caparo Caparo Industries Steel manufacturer owned by Labour Peer Lord Paul

Donors in 2000-2001

All these donors have paid the Labour Party more than £5,000: Duncan Bannatyne - Margaret Barbour Professor John Beddington Lord Alex Bernstein - Lord Mitchell Professor S.K. Bhattacharya Bill Bottriell - Capital & Provident Lindley Catering Investments Gordon Crawford - Caparo Industries Cynthia Goldman - Bruce Jarvis Derek Johnson - John Reid Christopher Mackenzie - Gerry Robinson Gordon Crawford Gordon Crawford Chairman of London Bridge Software

Lord Haskins Lord Haskins Retiring Chairman of Northern Foods. Unelected Government "Co-ordinator"

Felix Dennis - Ruth Harding Michael Frayn - Adrian Friend Lord Haskel - Lord Haskins Sir Maurice Hatter - Tom Hunter William Haughey - Mick Hucknall Lord Joffe - Isaac Kaye Sir Frank Lowe - SLP Investments Peter Shalson - Barry Townsley Henry Tinsley - Peter J. Thompson Sir Sigmund Sternberg - G. Wright Michael V. Sternberg - Neil Tennant Isaac Kaye Isaac Kaye Deputy Chief Executive of the IVAX Corporation and Chairman of Norton Healthcare

  • Stephen Perry SLP Investments Ltd
  • Enron Enron Europe Scandal-hit and bankrupt energy corporation

Sponsors in 2000-2001

All these donors have paid the Labour Party more than £5,000 in sponsorship: BSkyB Ltd - BBC - BG plc - UPS UK BAE Systems - Carlton Television Birmingham International Airport - Manchester Airport Cable Communications Association - Orange Connex UK - The Independent - The Mirror McDonalds UK (gave £15,000) Nationwide - Seeboard Ltd - National Power Sema plc - Thomson-CSF Racal Vauxhall Motors - Yorkshire TV BAE Systems BAE Systems British arms manufacturer

PR Department of the DLA top ten law firm

MFI MFI Furniture Group The largest retailer of kitchens and bedrooms in the UK

"Tickets" in 2000-2001 All these donors have paid the Labour Party more than £5,000 for "Tickets For Dinners": Brunswick Group - Chrysalis Group Citigate Public Affairs - Crag Group Dixons Group - DLA Upstream Edelman PR - Enron Europe Finsbury Ltd - GJW Government Relations HH Associates - J&P UK Ltd MFI Furniture Group - National Express Group Just2Clicks.com - Sea Containers Services Winterthur Group - Zurich Financial Services Microsoft UK also provided more than £5,000 of "benefits in kind". sema Sema IT consultancy company, part of the Schlumberger Group

Winterthur Group Winterthur Group Services Insurance company, owners of Churchill Insurance


1999 Donors

Felix Dennis Felix Dennis Chairman, Dennis Publishing (computer and lifestyle magazines like Maxim). He is worth £200 million.

1999 Donors Felix Dennis is the Chairman of Dennis Publishing. He is worth £250 million. Dennis Publishing produces lifestyle magazines like Maxim and four of the seven top-selling computer magazines.

Robert Bourne is a property developer and Chairman of Clubhaus, a golf club business with clubs in the UK, Germany and Spain. He heads Legacy, 'preferred bidder' to buy the Dome and is married to Sally Greene, former actress and theatre impressario. She is Managing Director of the Old Vic Theatre in London.

Peter J. Thompson is Chairman of the Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board. Robert Bourne Robert Bourne. Property developer. Director of Clubhaus, a golf club business. Gave £100,000 in 1999

Peter J. Thompson Peter J. Thompson. Hong Kong-based businessman. Gave £15,000 in 1999.


Sally Greene Sally Greene. Former actress and theatre impressario. Robert Murray is a Director of Sunderland FC and a former Director of FKI, Chairman of Sterling Capitol plc, the Sovereign Capital Corporation and Omega International Group plc. His personal wealth is estimated at £30 million.

Caparo Industries is owned by one of New Labour's favourite businessmen, Lord Paul. He sits on the Competitiveness working Party: Promoting The Best Of Best Practice and the West Midlands Regional Competitiveness Working Party.

Citygrove Leisure is a London-based property development company, involved in the multi-million pound development of retail and entertainment complexes. The Chief Executive and Chairman of Citygrove is David Woolf, known as the "Grandfather of the Retail Park Industry". Robert Murray Robert Murray. Chairman, Sunderland FC. Ex-Director, FKI (international engineering group). Personal wealth £30 million.

Lord Paul Caparo Group. Steel and engineering holding company owned by Lord Paul. Gave £101,000 in 1998.

citygrove leisure Citygrove Leisure. London-based property delelopers, run by David Woolf. Gave £5,000 in 1999. Stephen Barclay is an Executive Director of Talisman House, a holding company for financial service companies. His salary and bonuses came to £151,066 in 1999.

Peter Gilman is a former director of Leeds FC, who made £5.5 million from selling the club. He is the Chairman of Thorpe Park (Leeds) Ltd, a huge new "business park" being built just outside Leeds. The business park is aimed at call centres and is the site of the National Grid HQ.

next page go to the next page Talisman House Stephen Barclay. Chairman of Talisman House, a holding company for financial service companies.

Peter Gilman Peter Gilman. Ex-director of Leeds FC. Construction businessman, boss of GMI Rovinian. Sir Ronald Cohen. Chairman, Apax Partners. Vice-chairman EASDAQ stock exchange. Gave £100,000 in 1997.

1999 Donors Sir Ronald Cohen is Founder and Chairman of Apax Partners & Company, an international private equity company. He is Vice-Chairman of EASQDAQ, the European Stock Market. He is Chairman of the Government's Tech Stars Steering Committee taskforce and a member of the DTI's UK Competitiveness Committee. He received a knighthood in the 2000 New Years Honours List.

John Boyle, millionaire Scottish businessman, is Chairman of Motherwell FC. In 1998 he made £42 million from selling Direct Holidays to Airtours.

Vision Posters is a Midlands-based billboard advertising company, which provides advertising space for the Labour Party. John Boyle John Boyle. Founder, Direct Holidays (sold to Airtours for £81million). Chairman, Motherwell FC. Gave £20,000 in 1999.

Vision Posters Vision Posters. Midlands-based billboard manufacturers.


Partners BDDH Leslie Butterfield. Chairman, Partners BDDH advertising agency. Leslie Butterfield is Chairman of Partners BDDH, one of the top 30 advertising agencies, whose clients include Mercedes, The Guardian, BT and Sainsbury.

Michael Watt, a New Zealander whose personal wealth is £35 million, is the head of Octagon CSI, one of the world's biggest negotiators, distributors and producers of televised sport (including satellite racing coverage for bookmakers).

Lord Gavron was made into a Peer on 19th June 1999 and gave £500,000 to the Labour party on June 25 1999. His personal wealth is £50 million. Until June 1998 he was a Director of the St Ives Group, a printing and publishing group which is one of the FTSE top 250 companies. Until March 2000 he was Chairman of the Guardian Media Group, which owns the Guardian newspaper. Octagon CSI Michael Watt. Head of Octagon CSI Broadcasting (satellite racing coverage for bookmakers). Personal wealth £35 million.

Lord Gavron Lord Gavron. Former Chairman of Guardian Media group and Director of St Ives printing and publishing group. Gave £500,000 in 1999.


Gulam K. Noon Gulam K. Noon. Founder of Noon Products. Personal wealth £40 million. Gave £100,000 in 1999. Gulam K. Noon is founder of Noon Products, a large supplier of ready-made curries to supermarkets. His personal wealth is £45 million.

Sir Maurice Hatter is Chairman of IMO Precision Electronics. He pledged £1,000,000 to the Labour Party on 16/4/99 and was knighted two months later. His personal wealth is £49 million.

Professor S.K. Bhattacharya is a Director of the Warwick Manufacturing Group and Professor of Manufacturing at the University of Warwick. He is a member of the Government's Competitiveness Working Party on Increasing Business Investment and the West Midlands regional Competitiveness Working Party.

next page go to the next page Sir Maurice Hatter Sir Maurice Hatter. Chairman, IMO Precision Controls. An electronics tycoon, personal wealth £50 million. Pledged £1,000,000 in 1999.

S.K. Bhattacharya S.K. Bhattacharya. Director, Warwick Manufacturing Group. Isaac Kaye. Deputy Chief Executive, IVAX corporation. Chairman, Norton Healthcare. Gave £100,000 in June 1999.

1999 Donors Isaac Kaye is Deputy Chief Executive of the huge Florida-based health company, the IVAX Corporation and Chairman of Norton Healthcare. Norton Healthcare is the largest generic drugs company in Britain.

Tony Gallagher is the owner of AC Gallagher Holdings, the parent company for Gallagher Developments and JJ Gallagher, construction and property development companies which were estimated to have made £24.5 million in profit in 1999.

David Goldman, who died in October 1999, was Chairman of BATM Advanced Communications, an Israeli telecommunications equipment company. Tony Gallagher Tony Gallagher. Birmingham-based developer. Personal fortune £200 million. Pledged £100,000 in March 1999.

David Goldman MBE David Goldman MBE. Chairman of BATM Advanced Communications. Pledged £1,000,000 in April 1999.


Haris Sophoclides Haris Sophoclides. Cypriot businessman, Head of the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood. Pledged £1,000,000 in March 1999. Haris Sophoclides is the multi-millionaire President of the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood. He is the owner of J&P Ltd, one of the largest property and construction firms in the Middle East. His business empire has a turnover of more than £500 million a year, building hotels, airports, hospitals and military bases all over the world. He is a friend of the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott.

Chris Wright is the Chairman of Chrysalis and QPR FC. His stake in Chrysalis is worth £141 million (he made £8 million in a share sale in 1999).

Lord Alex Bernstein is the former Chair of Granada TV. He was one of a group of millionaires who gave donations totalling £500,000 to Tony Blair's "private office" in 1996. He was given his peerage in March 2000. Chris Wright Chris Wright. Chairman of Chrysalis, Chairman of QPR F.C. Personal wealth £155 million. Pledged £100,000 in 1999.

Peter Coates Peter Coates. Former Chairman of Stoke City F.C.

Pledged £100,000 in March 1999


Alex Bernstein Lord Alex Bernstein. Former Chairman of Granada. Became a Lord in March 2000. Pledged £200,000 in April 1999. William Haughey is Chief Executive of City Refrigeration, the UK's largest specialist refrigeration and facilities management company. He was one of the ten Scottish businessmen who wrote a letter to the Scotland on Sunday newspaper in January 1999 to express support for the Labour Party

Lord Diamond, the former SDP leader in the House of Lords, is Chairman of the Lionel Cooke Memorial Fund, a trust which gave £15,000 to the Labour Party in 1996 and 1997. The trust funded the SDP for 9 years in the 80's and is named after a friend of Lord Diamond.

next page go to the next page


Lord Diamond Lord Jack Diamond. Former SDP fundraiser. Gave £20,000 in February 1999 (pledged £80,000 in Jan 1999).

William Haughey William Haughey. Chief Executive of Scottish Refrigeration. Gave £10,000 in March 1999.

Baroness Ruth Rendell. Multi-millionaire crime writer, she gave more than £5000 in 1997 and 1998, and got her peerage in 1997.

1999 Donors As well as names from the business world, the Labour Party attracts its share of rich writers and pop stars, like Baroness Ruth Rendell, the multi- millionaire crime writer (she got her peerage straight after the election in 1997) and Audrey Eyton (author of the best-selling book, The F-Plan Diet).

From the music industry there is John Reid (Elton John's former manager for 28 years, during which they made $245 million), Neil Tennant, the millionaire singer with the Pet Shop Boys and Mick Hucknall (singer with Simply Red, hotel, club and restaurant owner) whose personal wealth is more than £40 million. Audrey Eyton Audrey Eyton. Author of the best-selling book, The F-Plan Diet, she gave the Labour Party more than £5000 in 1998.

John Reid John Reid. Elton John's former manager (until 1998), he gave more than £5000 to the Labour Party in 1998.


Neil Tennant Neil Tennant. Millionaire singer with the Pet Shop Boys, he gave the Labour Party more than £5000 in 1997 and 1998. Once very popular at Downing Street (he's less in favour since he backed Malcolm McLaren for Mayor of London) is Alan McGee, who founded Creation Records and is also involved with clickmusic, an internet music directory. He sits on both the Government's Creative Industries Task Force and their Music Industry Forum.

Next on the list is another millionaire, Paul Adamson, a Brussels-based lobbyist, who is Chief Executive Officer of Adamson BSMG. His clients have included McDonnell Douglas, Smithkline Beecham, Shell and Glaxo Wellcome.

Jeremy Mogford, founder of the Browns restaurant chain, sold out to Bass in January 1998 for £35 million. He now runs hotels and restaurants in Oxford Mick Hucknall Mick Hucknall. Singer (Simply Red) and club-owner. Personal wealth £40 million. Gave £25,000 in 1999 and £50,000 in 1997.

Alan McGee Alan McGee. Boss of Creation Records. Personal wealth £25 million. Gave £20,000 in 1999.


Paul Adamson Paul Adamson. European Lobbyist, made millions by selling Adamson Associates in 1998. Gave £10,000 in 1999. John Ritblat is a property tycoon and Chairman of British Land, the UK's second largest property company. He is also Chairman of Milner Estates (which is valued at £160 million).

next page go to the next page Jeremy Mogford Jeremy Mogford. Founder of Browns restaurant chain (sold in 1998 for £35 million). Pledged £100,000 in 1999.

John Ritblat John Ritblat. Chairman of British Land, Britain's 2nd largest property company. Pledged £100,000 in 1999.

Sun Life and Provincial. Life Assurance and Pension company, part of the AXA Group. Gave £15,000 in 1998.

1999 Donors In this section there are donors that include Sun Life and Provincial, part of the AXA group of Insurance and Pension companies (the 3rd largest insurance company in the UK), Jon Aisbitt, Co-chairman of Goldman Sachs Australia and Adrian Friend, Interim European Director of Trust-e, an internet privacy licensing company.

David Kyte, Chairman of the Kyte Group, gave more than £5,000 to the Labour Party in 1998. The Kyte Group, which he founded in 1982, is the largest independent clearer on the LIFFE (London International Financial Futures Exchange) and includes KyteNet, an internet division. David Kyte David Kyte. Kyte Group, stock market trading company, largest independent clearer on LIFFE.

Jon Aisbitt Jon Aisbitt. Co-chairman of Goldman Sachs Australia. Gave £25,000 in 1999.


Adrian Friend Adrian Friend. Interim european director of Trust-e, an internet privacy licensing company. Derek W. Johnson is Chairman and Managing Director of the shipping agency, JSA. Christopher Mackenzie is Head of European Operations, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, a large American investment firm. Barry Townsley is the millionaire owner of a stockbroking company.

Stephen Perry is the Managing Director of SLP Investments and London Export Ltd. He has made donations every year since 1997 through one of other of these companies. Lindley Catering Investments, owned by Peter Coates, have contracts with a very large number of Premier and Nationwide League football clubs. Derek W. Johnson Derek W. Johnson. Johnson Steven Agencies, the top UK independent ships agency.

Christopher Mackenzie Christopher Mackenzie. Head of European Operations, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, an investment firm. Gave £12,000 in 1999.


Barry Townsley Barry Townsley. Owner of a stockbroking company sold to Insinger de Beaufort in 1999 for £10 million. Other notable donors in 1999:

Bruce Jarvis and Dr G. Toulmin - regular donors Chris Woodgate - hi-tec entrepreneur Sir Sigmund Sternberg Gave £5,000 in 1999 Alan Millett Gave £2,500 in February 1999

Stephen Perry Stephen Perry Managing Director of SLP Investments and London Export Ltd. Gave £25,000 in 1999.

Lindley Catering Investments Lindley Catering Investments Stadium catering firm run by Peter Coates.

1999 Sponsors

Adshel. Operators of "street furniture" in 20 countries.

1999 Sponsors The list of companies (and occasional individuals) that have given more than £5,000 in sponsorship to the Labour Party is long.

It is filled with the names of companies which dominate our everyday lives - companies who frequently have directors who sit on the Government's task forces or advisory groups. There are also companies in the list who appear to have received favourable treatment on issues they are involved with, for example Enron and Tesco. Then, of course, there are the usual arms companies like BAe and Raytheon and their representatives, including Bergmans (PR) and the UK Defence Forum. Boots Boots the Chemist plc.

British Aerospace British Aerospace. Arms Manufacturers (now known as BAE Systems).


British Gas British Gas plc (now called BG plc). The Labour Party's rules on sponsorship are different to donations - sponsorship is regarded as a commercial activity, enabling the Party to accept money from firms based abroad or whose activities might be frowned on by some parts of the Labour movement (like arms dealing and human rights abuse).

Boots include on their Board Sir Peter Davis, who is Chair of both the New Deal Task Force and the New Deal Task Force Advisory Group.

David Varney, the Chief Executive of BG (formerly British Gas) was paid £474,150 in 1999. He is Chair of the London New Deal Employer's Coalition. Deloitte and Touche are one of New Labour's favourite accountants, with several big Government contracts. Citigate Westminster Citigate Westminster. PR company, one of the top 3 agencies for public sector PR. Deloitte and Touche Deloitte and Touche. 'Big 5' accountancy firm, with a $10.6 revenue in 1999.


Enron Enron. US energy company. Gave £30,000 in sponsorship in 1997-8.

In 1995 'Multinational Monitor' named Enron, the US energy company, as one of the world's ten worst corporations. The Chairman of Enron Europe, Ralph Hodge, received a CBE in 2001.

The Granada Group has many connections with the Labour Party and controls a large part of the ITV network, Granada Motorway Services, Little Chef and the Posthouse hotel chain.

Sir Ian Robinson, Chief Executive of Scottish Power, is Chair of the Scottish Advisory Task Force on the New Deal and was named as a 'Pathfinder to the Scottish Parliament.'

next page go to the next page Granada Television Granada Television. Part of Granada group, run by Gerry Robinson.

Scottish Power Scottish Power. Huge UK multi-utility company. Gave £5,000 in 1998. The Cable Companies Association. Eurobell, Cable and Wireless, Atlantic, NTL and Telewest.

1999 Sponsors Tesco, sponsors in 1997 and 1998, also gave £12 million in sponsorship to the Millennium Dome. Directors of Tesco sit on 6 different Task Forces, the most for any single company - far more than the other supermarket chains.

Somerfield, the supermarket chain, paid the Labour Party £38,500 in 1998 to put their name on the security passes for the Labour Party Conference and for exhibition space at the conference.

Freightliner Ltd is the largest intermodal rail operator in the UK. They move 600,000 deep sea containers a year from ports around the country and also own a large road haulage fleet. Tesco Tesco. Largest supermarket company in the UK. Terry Leahy, Chief Executive, was paid £1,173,000 in 2000

Somerfield Somerfield. Supermarket chain Paid £38,500 in sponsorship in 1998.


Freightliner Ltd Freightliner Ltd. Rail freight operator, the largest intermodal rail operator.

Mirror Group newspapers sponsored the Labour Party's centenary dinner in March 2000. The Express was once a Tory tabloid, but Lord Hollick has made sure that it has become 'The Voice of New Britain' (and New Labour).

Thomas Cook, the chain of Travel Agents, paid £25,000 for the champagne reception before the (£200 a head) Gala Dinner at the Stakis Hotel, during the 1998 Labour Party Conference in Blackpool. Enron paid for the cocktails at the same event.

The New Statesman, owned by Geoffrey Robinson, also held parties at the 1998 and 1999 Conferences (the 1998 party was paid for by Safeways). The Express The Express. Labour-supporting newspaper, owned by Lord Hollick.

Mirror Group Mirror Group. Labour-supporting tabloid newspaper, formerly owned by Robert Maxwell.


Thomas Cook Thomas Cook. Travel Agents. Paid £25,000 for the champagne before the Gala Dinner in 1998.

Manchester Airport sponsored the Gala Dinner at the 1999 Labour Conference. The Airport's expansion to 2 runways, the scene of major environmental protests, will destroy over 1000 acres of Greenbelt land.

next page go to the next page New Statesman New Statesman. Political magazine owned by Geoffrey Robinson.

Manchester Airport plc Manchester Airport plc. Sponsored Gala Dinner at Labour's 1999 conference for £20,000.


Daily Record and Sunday Mail. Scottish tabloid newspapers.

1999 Sponsors The pro-Labour Daily Record is the biggest selling newspaper in Scotland. Family Assurance is the largest tax-exempt friendly (saving) society in the UK.

Railtrack are the owners of Britain's rail infrastructure (formerly publicly owned as part of British Rail).

The Directors were heavily criticised for receiving bonuses of up to 37,000 (for Finance Director Steve Marshall who had only worked for Railtrack for 4 months) following the fatal Ladbroke Grove rail crash. The Safety Director, Rod Muttram, even received a bonus of £25,000! The Chief Executive, Gerald Corbett, is paid a salary of £398,000. Family Assurance Family Assurance. The largest tax-exempt friendly society in the UK.

Railtrack Railtrack. Owners of Britain's rail infrastructure.


UPS (UK) Ltd UPS (UK) Ltd. United Parcels Service, an American corporation. UPS, the US corporation, were hit by a strike in 1997, the largest industrial action in America for a decade. They kept 58% of their workers classified as part-time, on half the hourly wage of full-time workers, even though 10,000 of them were working up to 39 hours a week, just under the 40 hour limit that would give them a higher wage and full benefits. After the strike UPS agreed to increase part-time pay by 35% and convert 10,000 jobs to full-time.

The Wiggins Group are commercial and residential property developers who own Manston Airport in Kent and have several large developments around the country. First Consulting provide management services to healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, including 22 of the top 25 pharmaceutical companies and the NHS. Wiggins Group Wiggins Group. Commercial and Residential property developers.

First Consulting First Consulting. Management Consultants.


Northumbrian Water Group Northumbrian Water Group.

Northumbrian Water supply 2.6 million domestic customers in the North East of England.

Chris Tavener is a Partner at the city law firm Herbert Smith, where fellow donor Gary Hart (now Special Adviser to Lord Irvine) used to work.

next page go to the next page Chris Tavener Chris Tavener. Partner at Herbert Smith, City law firm.

1999 "Services in Kind"

'Services in Kind' relate to companies who have given more than £5,000 in services to the Labour party for free.

The huge US software company Oracle built the Labour Party's website and provides the Servers that drive it. Lotus provide e-mail software and services.

Ernst and Young, the second largest management consultancy in the world, have provided consultancy services and surveys for the Labour Party. They have 'donated' staff to the Treasury since the 1997 election to work on developing PFI policy. Ernst and Young. International business and financial advisers. The second largest management consultancy in the world.


Lotus Lotus. Provided software for the Labour Party HQ at Millbank.

Oracle Oracle. Huge multinational software company. Built the Labour Party's website.


Sir David Alliance Sir David Alliance. Chairman of the N Brown mail order group.

1999 "Tickets for Dinners" People or companies who have paid £5,000 or more to attend New Labour's fundraising dinners. The list is largely devoted to PR and Lobbying companies, attending on behalf of undisclosed clients, including: Brunswick group Ltd (PR) and Crag Group Ltd GJW (Lobbyists, clients include BAA and Scottish Power) GPC (Lobbyists, clients include Powergen, BT and BG. Derek Draper's former company) Finsbury (PR) and Grandified Public Affairs (Lobbyists) Rapier Marketing Ltd (PR) Other people on this list include donors like Isaac Kaye and Christopher Mackenzie. Brunswick PR donated a key employee to the Government to help work on the Financial Services and Markets Bill. The legislation will regulate business in the City - any inside information would have been very beneficial to Brunswick's clients. LLM Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn. Lobbying company set up by ex-labour advisers. Their clients include News International and Tesco

Merrill Lynch Europe Merrill Lynch Europe. Multinational finance company.



1998 Donors

The most notable donor of 1998 (and 2001!) starts off the list: Lord David Sainsbury, who has given the Labour Party more than £7 million since 1996. He was made a peer in 1997 and given a Government Minister's job in 1998. Lord Sainsbury. Former Chairman of Sainsbury's supermarkets, now Science Minister. Personal wealth £1.4 billion. Given £7,000,000 since 1996. Lord Bragg, one of 'Labour's Luvvies' got his peerage in 1998.

Other major donors include Brian Clarke, the boss of Pandrol, who make the most widely used rail fastenings in the world and Robert Earl, the multi-millionaire founder of Planet Hollywood. Ben Elton Ben Elton. Comedian and writer.

Lord Bragg Lord Bragg. Controller of Arts at LWT. Gave £25,000 in 1997 and £7,500 in 1999.


David Brown David Brown Managing Director of Multidrive

Brian Dempsey, a millionaire property developer and former Director of Celtic FC (he was removed from the board in 1990 after trying to get Celtic to move to Robroyston, where he had property interests) has recently been involved in takeover bids for Clydebank FC and Celtic, where he was described as 'a disgraceful conman' who 'cares nothing for the supporters.'

Harold Ennis, a major donor over the last few years, is a director of several companies, including Boxmore International, a packaging company based in the North of Ireland, Galen Holdings, a pharmaceutical company and Dunloe Ewart, a huge Irish property company. He was given a seat on a Competitiveness Advisory Group Taskforce. Pandrol UK Brian Clarke. Pandrol UK, manufacturers of rail fastenings (used on more than 220 railways worldwide).

Robert Earl Robert Earl. Founder of the Planet Hollywood chain. Has other hotel and restaurant interests worth over £100 million. Gave £1,000,000 in 1998.


Brian Dempsey Brian Dempsey. Millionaire property developer, former Director of Celtic F.C. Bernie Ecclestone, the billionaire boss of Formula One racing (who earns so much he pays £27 million in personal taxes every year), gave £1 million to the Labour Party because Tony Blair promised to keep down the top tax rate. The money was returned after a parliamentary inquiry.

next page go to the next page Harold Ennis Dr. Harold Ennis. Director of Boxmore Int'l (packaging), Galen Holdings (pharmaceuticals) and Dunloe Ewart (property).

Bernie Ecclestone Bernie Ecclestone. Boss of Formula One. Personal wealth £2 billion. Gave £1,000,000 in 1997 (repaid). Ecclestone is reported to have first met Blair in 1996 where he was entertained by Ecclestone at Silverstone. The meeting had been set up by David Ward, who worked for the Federation internationale de l'automobile (FIA). Ecclestone then donated £1million to Blair. At the time, proposals for a tobacco sponsorship ban were in the air and FIA President Max Mosely argued that a ban would see formula one pushed away from Europe. Blair and Ecclestone met again for a subsequent meeting and on the day following Blair sent a memo to the Health secretary Frank Dobson asking him to look for a way to protect the position of sports in general, and Formula One in particular from the proposed advertising ban[1].

Lord Hollick. Chief Executive of United News and Media (The Express and The Star; Anglia, HTV and Meridian TV; NOP).

1998 Donors This section includes Lord Hollick, the Chief Executive of United News and Media, the group which includes newspapers such as The Express and The Star, NOP opinion polls and TV companies like Anglia, HTV and Meridian. He earned £616,000 in 1998 and sits on one of the Government's Competitiveness Working Parties.

Alan Sugar is Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur FC, Executive Chairman of Viglen Ltd and Chairman of Amstrad. His personal wealth is £585 million - he recently sold his 170ft yacht for £11 million.

Another major donor is Howard Stringer, the Chief Executive Officer of Sony America. Sir Alan Sugar Sir Alan Sugar. Executive Chairman of Viglen Ltd, Chairman of Amstrad and Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

Howard Stringer Sir Howard Stringer. Chief Executive Officer of Sony Corporation of America.


Currie Group Currie Group. Currie Motors, London-based car dealership run by Abraham Jaffe (personal wealth £62 million).

The list also includes Doug D'Arcy the former Managing Director of Chrysalis Music and wealthy actors like Sinead Cusack and Jeremy Irons. Jimmy Boyle, the former gangster turned writer is also included (along his wife Sarah).

James Fisher and Sons are a Shipowning, Operation and Management company, run by David Cobb (who received a CBE in June 1999).

Amongst other activities, they manage 6 irradiated nuclear fuel transport ships for PTNL, a subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels. They also manage a warehousing complex at RAF Sealand and made an operating profit of £8,833,000 in 1998. Jimmy Boyle Jimmy Boyle. Former gangster turned writer.

Sinead Cusack Sinead Cusack. Actress.


Alex Ferguson Alex Ferguson. Manager of Manchester United F.C. the richest football club in the world. next page go to the next page James Fisher and Sons James Fisher and Sons. Shipowners, Operators and Management company. Gave £1,500 in March 1998.

Association of Independent Music Doug D'Arcy. Member of the Association of Independent Music. Former Managing Director of Chrysalis Music. Lord Puttnam. Film producer and Director of Anglia TV, made a Lord in 1997.

1998 Donors Lord Puttnam got his peerage in the same year he gave his donation to the Labour Party. The oscar-winning film producer sits on the School Standards Task Force, the Creative Industries Task Force and is Chair of the General Teaching Council, although he has no teaching experience.

Garry Hart, another big donor, is now Special Adviser to his friend Lord Irvine in March 1998. He is a former partner at the City law firm Herbert Smith.

Ispat International is a dutch holding company which owns a number of other steel companies around the world. Most of them were bought in Government privatisation schemes. Garry Hart Garry Hart. Former partner with City law firm Herbert Smith, now Lord Irvine's special adviser.

Ispat International Ispat International. International steel producer (8th largest in the world).


Joel Joffe Lord Joffe. Former Deputy Chair of Allied Dunbar, now Chairman of Oxfam.

Joel Joffe is the former Deputy Chairman of Allied Dunbar. He served on the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care, producing a minority report which let the Government ignore the expensive care provision recommended by the majority of commission members. He got his peerage in the 1999.

Sir Cameron Mackintosh is theatre owner and producer whose personal wealth is £400 million. He owns 4 West End theatres and runs 3 more.

Nathu Ram Puri is the owner of several large industrial companies. His personal wealth is £90 million. He owns Melton Medes, listed as one of the top 100 privately owned companies in the UK. Sir Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Owns 4 West End theatres and runs 3 more. Personal wealth £400 million.

Nathu Ram Puri Nathu Ram Puri. Owns engineering, packaging, textiles and plastics companies. Personal wealth £90 million.


Glenyork Ltd Glenyork Ltd. North London Engineering company run by Uri David, an Israeli-born businessman. Jarvis Astaire is a millionaire ex-boxing promoter. GLC is another name from the list of Lobbying and PR companies who contribute to the Labour Party's finances.


next page go to the next page GLC GLC Ltd. Lobbying company.

Jarvis Astaire Jarvis Astaire. Millionaire boxing promoter (partner of Mickey Duff) and former Deputy Chairman of Wembley plc.


Ranger Oil. Canadian oil company

1998 Donors This section includes rich musicians like Peter Gabriel and Lisa Stansfield, comedian Eddie Izzard and actor Richard Wilson.

They have given big donations to the Labour Party along with millionaire businessmen like Tim Waterstone of the Waterstone's bookshop chain (now Chairman of the group which includes 271 HMV shops) and Matt Thomson, owner of the largest independent printers in the UK.

Tony Tabatznik, Former Chair of Generics (UK) Limited, a pharmaceutical company is sitting on a family fortune worth £260 million Lisa Stansfield Lisa Stansfield. Singer.

Eddie Izzard Eddie Izzard. Comedian


Tony Tabatznik Tony Tabatznik. Chair of Generics (UK), a pharmaceutical company. Family fortune £260 million. Gave £25,000 in 1997 Leopold Joseph, a private bank which provides offshore banking and Trust services also gave £1,000 to the Labour Party.

Other notable donors in 1998:

Daily Mail and General Trust Gave £500 in 1998. Janet Hulme Norman Hyams Gordon R Jarvis Maurice Millward (former Chairman of Millward Brown) Sommers Handling Kingsley Williams Anthony Scrivener QC Peter B Green (a Bermuda-based businessman who owns Marshall's Island, a large double island in Bermuda) Matt Thomson Matt Thomson. Chairman of Thomson Litho, Scotland's largest private printing firm

Tim Waterstone Tim Waterstone. Chairman of the HMV Media group, founder of the Waterstone's Bookshop chain.


Richard Wilson Richard Wilson. Actor.

Donors who gave more than £5,000 in 1998, as listed in the Guardian[2]


Donors in 1998 and 1999 (featured in 1999 section):

Jon Aisbitt - Alec Reed Stephen Barclay - Baroness Rendell Lord Alexander Bernstein - Gerry Robinson Leslie Butterfield - Peter J. Thompson Caparo Group - Michael Watt Peter Coates - Jeremy Mogford Ronald Cohen - Sir Sigmund Sternberg Felix Dennis - Sun Life and Provincial Robert Devereux - Frank Lowe Greg Dyke - Isaac Kaye David Goldman - Mick Hucknall Greek Cypriot Brotherhood - Lord Haskins Lord Hamlyn - Neil Tennant

next page go to the next page Leopold Joseph Leopold Joseph plc. Private bank, based in London, Guernsey and the Bahamas. Gave £1,000 in March 1998.

Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel. Musician. Bergmans. PR Consultancy.

1998 Sponsors

Bergmans Defence Consultancy is part of the Northern Defence Initiative, a group of companies who provide services to the UK's armed forces. Their clients include the UK Defence Forum, the military/political think tank.

BT's board of Directors is full of Task Force members, including Chief execitive Sir Peter Bonfield, who was paid £1,278,000 in 2000.

Matthew Freud is the millionaire head of Freud Communications, one of the most influential PR companies in London. He is friend of Peter Mandelson and Lord Alli. BT BT. Telecommunications company.

Matthew Freud Freud Communications. Matthew Freud's PR company. Organised Party for Labour in 1998 (paid by BSkyB).


Novartis Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Europe's biggest drug company. Novartis, the largest drug company in Europe, are based in Switzerland and are heavily involved in genetic research and GM foods. They are the world's second largest seed producer. They also manufacture drugs, health foods, nutritional drinks, baby food, sweeteners and sugar-free sweets.

Raytheon Systems is a US arms manufacturer with an appalling industrial relations record in the US. In June 1999 they were awarded an £800 million contract from the MOD.

Lancashire Enterprises, based in Preston, Merseyside, Manchester, London and Brussels, count local and central Government among the list of clients for their management and property services company. In 1997, they provided an unpaid adviser, David Taylor, to John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister. Raytheon Systems Raytheon Systems Ltd. American arms manufacturer.

UK Defence Forum Military/political think tank.


J. Sainsbury's plc J. Sainsbury's plc. Supermarket chain. Geoffrey Robinson is the scandal-hit multi-millionaire businessman who was given the Government job of Paymaster General straight after the 1997 election. He resigned in 1998 when it was revealed that he had secretly lent £373,000 to Peter Mandelson.

Geoffrey Robinson Geoffrey Robinson. Multi-millionaire former Paymaster-General.

Lancashire Enterprises Lancashire Enterprises. Management and property services company. Provided an adviser to John Prescott in 1997.


1997-8 Sponsors

Other notable sponsors in 1997-8 Include: British American Financial Services - Centurion Press CREATE Ltd - Safeways - London Export Ltd Manro Haydan Trading - Yorkshire Tyne Tees TV

Other sponsors from 1997-8, who continued their sponsorship in 1998-9 include: The Cable Companies Association, Crag Group Citigate Westminster, Daily Record Enron Europe Ltd, Matt Thomson Christopher Mackenzie, Tesco Mirror Group, Scottish Power


Lex Services Sir Trevor Chinn. Chairman of Lex Services, the UK's leading automotive distributor.

Donations of over £5,000 as listed in the Guardian for 1997 were[3]... Jon Aisbitt; Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union; Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen; Jervis Astaire; Awayvale; Stephen Barclay; Alex Bernstein; Jimmy Boyle and Sarah Boyle; Melvyn Bragg; David Brown; Lucy Brown; Leslie Butterfield; Caledonian Mining; Caparo Group Ltd; Brian Clarke; Peter Coates; Ronald Cohen; Communication Workers Union; The Co-operative Party; Co -operative Wholesale Ltd; J Costello*; Creation Records; The Currie Group of Companies; Sinead Cusack and Jeremy Irons; Doug D'Arcy; Brian Dempsey; Felix Dennis; Robert Devereux; Greg Dyke; Robert Earl; Bernie Ecclestone*; Ben Elton; Harold Ennis; Alex Ferguson; Peter Gabriel Ltd; General Municipal Boilermakers' Union; Glenyork Ltd; GLC Ltd; David Goldman; Graphical Print Media Union; Greater London Enterprise; Greek Cypriot Brotherhood; P B Green; Lord Hamlyn; Garry Hart; Christopher Haskins; Lord Hollick; Geoff Howard-Spink; Mick Hucknall; Janet Hulme; Norman Hyams; Ispat International (UK) Ltd; Eddie Izzard; Gordon R Jarvis; Joel Joffe; Isaac Kaye; J Kerr; London Export Ltd; Frank Lowe; Sir Cameron Mackintosh; Maurice Millward; Mr & Mrs Jeremy Mogford; Peter Morgan; G Philipps; G Poole; Nathu Ram Puri; A Purvis; Lord Puttnam; Ranger Oil (UK) Ltd; Alec Reed; Baroness Rendell; Gerry Robinson; Lord Sainsbury of Turville; Anthony Scrivener QC; Marion Shotton; K Snape; Sommers Handling plc; Lisa Stansfield; Sir Sigmund Sternberg; Howard Stringer; Alan Sugar; Sun Life Provincial Holdings plc; Tony Tabatznik; Chris Tavener; Neil Tennant; Peter J Thompson; Matt Thomson; Pete Townshend; Transport and General Workers' Union; Unison; Tim Waterstone; Michael Watt; West Midlands Trade Union Liaison Committee; Phyllis White; Kingsley Williams; Richard Wilson; G Wright

Sponsors in excess of £5,000 for the same year were... Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Services; Bergmans; British American Financial Services; BT; Cable Communications Association; Centurion Press; Citigate Westminster; Cooperative Wholesale Society; Crag Group plc; CREATE Ltd; Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd; The Engineering Council; Enron Europe Ltd; FA World Cup 2006 Bid; Freud Communications; Brian Gilda - Peoples; GJW; Graphical Print Media Union; Lancashire Enterprises; Christopher Mackenzie; Manro Haydan Trading and Manros Ltd; Mirror Group Newspapers; Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd; Peter Phillips; Raytheon Systems Ltd; Geoffrey Robinson; Safeways plc; J Sainsbury's plc; Scottish Power; Scottish Trade Union Labour Party Liaison Committee; Tesco Stores plc; Thompsons (Solicitors); Matt Thomson - Thomson Litho; Transport and General Workers Union; TU Fund Managers Ltd; UK Defence Forum; Unison; Yorkshire Tyne Tees Television

Pre-1997 Donors

Donors and sponsors from before 1997 were not routinely revealed by the Labour Party. Donations to "blind trusts" set up to fund specific projects, were also not covered in the lists.

It was revealed in 1996 that £500,000 had been donated to Tony Blair's private office (a blind trust) by a number of wealthy businessmen, who included Sir Trevor Chinn (now serving on the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force), Sir Emmanuel Kaye (who gave 'about £50,000'), Lord Gavron and Lord Alex Bernstein.

Notes

  1. ↑ Rentoul, J. (2001) 'BLAIR PART 3: TROUBLE WITH MONEY - HOW MILLIONAIRES AND THEIR MONEY DENTED TONY'S IMAGE AS 'A PRETTY STRAIGHT SORT OF GUY'. The Independent (London). 29th March 2001
  2. ↑ The Guardian 'Where the party got its money from'. 9th September 1999
  3. ↑ The Guardian 'Blair cuts union links with individual help: Labour's list of donors'. 30th August 1998
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