UK Government Rejects Accusations of Conservative Party Donor Corruption
15:23 GMT 07.11.2021 (Updated: 15:16 GMT 28.05.2023)
© REUTERS / JESSICA TAYLOR
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Earlier, The Sunday Times reported that almost every Conservative treasurer had donated more than $4 million to the party in the past two decades before being offered a seat in the House of Lords.
The British government has rejected the latest accusations of corruption after The Sunday Times' investigation revealed that major Conservative Party donors were offered seats in Parliament's upper chamber.
According to the paper, all but one of the 16 Conservative treasurers over the last 20 years has donated more than £3 million ($4.05 million) to the party, before being offered a seat in the House of Lords. The role of Conservative treasurer has become the most ennobled job in Britain, the paper added.
Labour Party Deputy Leader Angela Rayner reacted to the report by calling the Conservative Party "corrupt."
“Once you pay your £3 million you get your peerage.”
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) November 6, 2021
Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party is corrupt, dodgy, sleazy and on the take. https://t.co/IBiaMg10b5
Jumping to the Tories' defence, Environment Minister George Eustice told the BBC: "They are philanthropists who give huge amounts to charity, who have been very successful in business and therefore on those grounds ought to be considered for the Lords."
Rayner reacted again by claiming that Eustice was "lying."
Impressive performance on Marr from George Eustice, he managed to lie so many times in such a short period of time while keeping a straight face.
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) November 7, 2021
My favourite bit was when he said Tory donors who donate £3 million in return for a seat in the House of Lords are “philanthropists”.
This comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson abandoned plans to halt the suspension of Conservative lawmaker Owen Paterson from Parliament after he had been found guilty of breaking Commons rules by lobbying for two companies that had paid him more than £500,000 ($682,000).
The row with Conservative treasurers has contributed more to BoJo's falling personal approval rating, which is reportedly at its lowest on record.
Labour Leader Keir Starmer told the BBC on Sunday that Johnson "is trashing the reputation of our democracy and our country."
Parliament is scheduled to hold an emergency debate on standards on Monday, 8 November.
