£43 million given to Conservatives by members of exclusive Cameron dining club
Members of the 'Leaders Club' who have dined privately with the Prime Minister or Cabinet minsters have donated £43 million to the Conservatives
By Georgia Graham, Political Correspondent
12:56PM GMT 23 Jan 2014
Members of a dining club with private access to David Cameron and other Cabinet ministers have given £43 million to the Conservatives in just two years.
The details were revealed following criticism over Downing Street’s refusal this week to say how many ‘secret’ guests David Cameron has hosted at his grace-and-favour country home, Chequers.
The Leaders Group is made up of donors who each give at least £50,000 to the Conservative party ever year and are rewarded with private dinners, lunches and drinks parties with the Prime Minister and other influential ministers.
Although overall membership to the group has always been secret those that have dined privately with the Prime Minister or senior Cabinet Ministers following the controversy in 2012 when it emerged Mr Cameron was hosting private events at his Downing Street flat.
Minster have always denied that the events are used by donors to influence policy but critics argue that secrecy around private dinners raises suspicions. Other ministers who have attended the Leaders Group events in the past two years include George Osborne, the Chancellor, William Hague, the Foreign Secretary and Theresa May, the Home Secretary.
Look at the numbers: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10591950/43-million-given-to-Conservatives-by-members-of-exclusive-Cameron-dining-club.html