Tory freebie bonanza: How firms wine and dine the party elite
By
Tim Shipman
Last updated at 7:44 AM on 14th August 2009
Mixing with the stars: Kate Winslet winning a BAFTA was just one top event Tories have treated to
Tories are being wooed with record numbers of freebies by companies seeking to gain influence with them.
Members of the shadow Cabinet have accepted 35 ‘jollies’ to tennis, rugby, racing, balls and the opera from businesses since spring last year.
Four senior Conservatives were entertained at Wimbledon, two went to rugby internationals at Twickenham and two to the Brit Awards, the Commons Register of Members’ Interests reveals.
The extent of the wining and dining will raise questions about the proximity of some senior Tories to corporate lobbyists.
David Cameron, who accepted £3,200 of free tickets to two glamorous parties, has already had to warn lobbying firms to keep their distance from the party’s conference.
It is impossible to compare the figures with those for Government ministers, since they do not have to declare trips in an official capacity.
But senior Tories believe more and more major businesses are vying to get to know those expected to run the next government.
A former Tory minister said: ‘Senior civil servants are wining and dining the people drawing up the manifesto.
'They’ve lost interest in Labour. It’s the same with the business community.’
Tory culture spokesman Jeremy Hunt is the most assiduously wooed Tory, since his departmental brief covers sport and the arts.
He accepted at least ten sets of free tickets to major events, including Wimbledon, the BAFTAs, England versus Scotland at Twickenham-from sponsors including RBS, ITV, and Pinewood studios.
Prizes for politicians: David Cameron with Shadow Culture Spokesman Jeremy Hunt, the most wooed Tory
But in most cases the free tickets have nothing to do with a Tory’s area of expertise.
For instance, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne attended the Wimbledon men’s final last year courtesy of the BBC Trust.
Some Tories accepted freebies because of their constituency links to an event or outside interests. Business spokesman Ken Clarke was flown, with his son, to last September’s Singapore Grand Prix by British American Tobacco, for which he was once a director.
A Tory spokesman said of the freebies: ‘This has got nothing to do with favours and everything to do with doing a competent job.’
Just some of the Shadow Cabinet 'jollies'
Explore more:
- People:
- George Osborne,
- Jeremy Hunt,
- Ken Clarke,
- David Cameron
- Places:
- Scotland,
- United Kingdom
Hunt, Osborne,Pickles,Grayling and Clarke all know there is no such thing as a free lunch, therefore the only ones left to pick up the tab is the taxpayer. The expenses fiddles were the easy part of the gravy train, there are still more lucrative scams the electorate will never see. All of the above should be made to pay the cost of the freebies into the public purse then slung out of the job as they are not fit for purpose.
- Brian Anderson, Castle Douglas UK, 14/8/2009 15:00
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