Sir John digs deep as Tories rake it in

Nov 30 2009 by William Green, The Journal

FORMER Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall has joined the Duke of Northumberland and Sting’s wife in donating cash to the Conservatives.

The electoral commission’s register of donations reveals that Labour is struggling to raise substantial sums in the region compared to the Tories.

Sir John Hall donated £25,000 to Conservative central office in April and £2,258.50 in sponsorship to the Stockton South constituency party in March.

Trudie Styler, the wife of Geordie pop star Sting, made a £3,500 donation to the Tories’ Richmond Park branch in London in August.

The local candidate is Zac Goldsmith, who is understood to be a friend of Ms Styler.

The Duke of Northumberland gave £1,250 to the Berwick branch of the Conservatives in July. Tory peer Lord Vinson, who was made a life peer as Baron Vinson, of Roddam Dene in Northumberland in 1985, donated £1,550 to the same local party in March and provided an £800 auction prize of shooting in April.

Donations topping £12,000 have been made to Tories in North Tyneside, home to the target seat of Tynemouth at the upcoming general election.

Berwick Tory parliamentary candidate Anne-Marie Trevelyan said more and more people were supporting the Conservative message.

Referring to Sir John Hall, she said: “He is a long-standing and strong supporter. That is very generous of him. I find that encouraging. I presume he must be pleased with what the business plans are, knowing Sir John.”

She added money donated to the Tory party from the North East would be spent in the region.

“I think it is interesting that we are seeing continuing increases in financial support for the Conservative party. As our policy plans become more crystallised, well-known businesses and individuals are keen to support those plans.”

Sir John confirmed his donation, but declined to comment further. A spokesman for Ms Styler confirmed to a national newspaper that she made a donation.

The fundraising of the Conservatives is in marked contrast to Labour in the North East, which is heavily reliant on union funding. The electoral commission’s records show most local Labour parties received a few hundred pounds each from union chiefs.

Activists in Durham contributed £2,287.45 to the Labour Durham City party in March, while their colleagues in Blyth Valley donated £2,328.48 to their local branch in September. And a £3,000 donation was made to the Labour branch in Easington by training company Premium People Development.

North East Minister Nick Brown, also an MP in Newcastle, said: “We make up for our lack of money with sheer hard work.”

As our policy plans crystallise, businesses and individuals are keen to support those plans