Apparently, if you donate at least 200,000 pounds to the Conservative Party of Britain- the Tories- you can go to dinners with Prime Minister David Cameron and “you can ask him practically any question you want”. “Thing will open up for you… it will be good for your business.” Oh, and “If you’re unhappy about something, we will listen to you and put it into the policy committee at number 10”.
At least, according to the now-ex treasurer of the Conservative Party, Peter Cruddas, caught on video speaking to people he believed to be rich investors from Liechenstein but who were actually investigative reporters from the Sunday Times (the party does not “pry as to where the money comes from, at all”, the journalists were allegedly told before the meeting by lobbyist Sarah Southern, an ex-personal aide to Prime Minister Cameron). Because they pretended to be hedge fund guys from Liechenstein instead of the usual “fake sheik” disguise, neither Mr Cruddas nor Ms Southern apparently suspected a thing.
On the video, Ms Southern boasts to her new Liechensteiny friends: “”I spent more time in the first third of [2010] with DC (David Cameron) than I did with anybody else in my life …I am friends with all the people who are now his closest advisers. I’m friends with the people who are chiefs of staff to members of the cabinet. I’m also friends with a number of people in the cabinet”.
Mr Cruddas, at one point named in the Sunday Times Rich List as the wealthiest man in the City of London thanks to his activities in the financial markets, also spruiked the personal connection, telling the journalists “When you see the Prime Minister, you’re seeing David Cameron, not the Prime Minister… within that room everything is confidential – you can ask him practically any question you want.” How much to get in there, Mr Cruddas? “Two hundred grand to 250 is Premier League“. Right, then.
Upon resigning his post with the Conservative Party, Mr Cruddas said “‘I deeply regret any impression of impropriety arising from my bluster in that conversation. Clearly, there is no question of donors being able to influence policy or gain undue access to politicians.” (He said nothing about why he had been soliciting donations, in return for influence or otherwise, from people he believed to be from outside the UK, even suggesting they funnel the donations through a British employee or a British front company to disguise the donation’s illegal origin).
Yes, clearly it was just bluster and there is no question at all that donors influence party policy. Clearly. A wealthy businessman with a billion dollar fortune like Mr Cruddas in a position of responsibility for the governing party of Great Britain, talking to people he believes to be able to donate a lot of money to that party, just blusters. I’m sure that the people he’s enticed to donate with that bluster in the past have been perfectly happy with the Tories after they find out it’s just bluster and they don’t actually get to have tea with the Prime Minister and call him David and suggest that that site next to a school in Milton Keynes is quite alright for a toxic waste dump really. It’s not as if the Tories have ever had this happen befo… oh, wait.
In 1994 (which might seem like a long time ago, but it was also the last time there was a Conservative Prime Minister before David Cameron), the famous mogul Mohamed al-Fayed, owner of Harrods and Fulham Football Club, claimed that you could “hire an MP the way you hire a London taxi” and testified that he had in fact done so, claiming he had paid Conservative MPs (members of parliament) Neil Hamilton and Tim Smith to ask questions in parliament and parliamentary committees. Other MPs were also implicated to greater or lesser extents, and al-Fayed claimed his business rivals also had MPs working for them. Smith took the fall immediately and resigned. Hamilton famously fought the allegations in court, trying to keep them suppressed until after the next election, only to have his case collapse and the Guardian print his picture on the front page under the headline “A liar and a cheat” along with all the gory details of cash in brown paper bags, free holidays at the Ritz and free shopping sprees in Harrods.
Prime Minister Cameron has already promised a full inquiry. No-one is holding their breath. Already, Cameron has refused to give details of what donors he has entertained in private at his official residence, claiming his personal right to privacy. Cameron did however say “This is not the way that we raise money in the Conservative Party.”
If he truly believes that, his inquiry may wish to start with his party’s own website. A brief visit to the Conservative Party’s donation page (at least before someone thinks to take it down for “maintenance”) reveals that for a membership fee of 50,000 pounds you can join the “Leader’s Group”, described as follows: “The Leader’s Group is the premier supporter Group of the Conservative Party. Members are invited to join David Cameron and other senior figures from the Conservative Party at dinners, post-PMQ lunches, drinks receptions, election result events and important campaign launches.” Poor sods who only have 25,000 pounds to give may instead join the Treasurer’s Club: “The Treasurers’ Group is aimed at substantial financial supporters with a keen interest in politics. Members are invited to join senior figures from the Conservative Party at dinners, lunches, drinks receptions, election result events and important campaign “
Yes, clearly just bluster.
Might want to clear your schedule, Prime Minister Cameron. You might be facing a few subpoenas in the near future. Tony Blair did with the “cash for honours” scandal, and that one didn’t even come with a video…
