Labour election campaign hits £2.5m in small donations

Labour’s general election campaign has hit £2.5m in small donations – with donations of £100 or less making up an overwhelming 98% of the party’s donations, and 93% being under £50.

The figures are being highlighted by Labour as evidence that Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign is a truly “people powered” movement funded by “people who want to transform our country to put wealth and power in the hands of the many”.

Andrew Gwynne, Labour’s local government spokesperson and campaign co-ordinator, said: “Our campaign is inspiring people all over the country to donate what they can – no matter how big or small – to help our people powered movement bring real change to our country.”

It was reported last week that the Conservatives have received large donations worth 26 times the amount collected by the Labour Party, amounting to £5.67m compared to Labour’s £218,500.

Tory donors in this election campaign period include Lubov Chernukhin, the wife of a former Russian minister who served under Vladimir Putin. She dined with Theresa May and six other cabinet members earlier this year.

Touching on the campaign theme of billionaires versus the many, Gwynne added: “People know that a Labour government will be on the side of the many in our communities, while the Conservatives represent the vested interests and a wealthy few.

“Our movement is powered by people and volunteers making contributions they can afford. The Conservative Party manifesto was bought by billionaires and the rest of us will pay for it.”

Labour has repeatedly pointed out during the election campaign that a third of Britain’s billionaires – 48 of 151 – have donated to the Tories over recent years. At Labour’s manifesto launch, Corbyn denounced “the bankers, billionaires and the establishment”.

The Labour leader sent out an email to all party members today asking them to “chip in” £1, £3, £8 or another amount, on the basis that 451 pages of unredacted documents show the NHS is “being used as a bargaining chip in a Trump-Johnson alliance”.