The Tories have more resources at their disposal, and Electoral Commission records show that they have raised five times more than Labour this summer.

Ahead of the general election, it’s been revealed that the largest private donors to the Conservative and Labour parties in the current parliament were both called Lord Sainsbury.

The cousins from the supermarket dynasty have made large donations to both main parties, ahead of reports that the country could be set for a spring general election. Electoral Commission records show that the late Lord John Sainsbury, a Tory peer, left a record £10 million to the Conservative Party, the biggest single sum ever given to the Tories. Overall, total donations to the Tories were at £15.4 million between July and September 2023 as a result, meaning his donation accounted for almost two-thirds of the total sum the party received.

The Tory peer was a major shareholder in his family’s supermarket chain, which he led as chairman for 23 years.

Meanwhile, his cousin Lord David Sainsbury has also been the most generous private donor to the Labour party, donating £5 million in total since late 2022, according to commission records.

The Tories have more resources at their disposal, and Electoral Commission records show that they have raised five times more than Labour this summer. While the Conservatives raised more than £15 million between July and September, the Labour Party raised £3 million.

The Labour party says the latest figures showed it was on course to secure its most successful financial year outside of a general election period.

Anneliese Dodds, the party’s chairman, said: “Thanks to Keir Starmer’s leadership, the Labour Party is seeing significant financial growth throughout 2023.

“Donors are supporting Labour because they can see we are serious about delivering for working people with five missions to transform Britain.”

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

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