Simon Kuper

They're a vulnerable group.

They're a vulnerable group.

Yeah, they want lockdowns. So the Tories have to say to the donors, yeah, yeah, you know, man, I hear you on these lockdowns, but they also have to keep the lockdowns. So it's a lot of the job of the party is disappointing donors, letting down donors.

Yeah, they want lockdowns. So the Tories have to say to the donors, yeah, yeah, you know, man, I hear you on these lockdowns, but they also have to keep the lockdowns. So it's a lot of the job of the party is disappointing donors, letting down donors.

I think it's now £15 million.

I think it's now £15 million.

You can't. I mean, if it's so much, you can't return it. Like if somebody gives you 10 grand and then they turn out to have done something bad, you say, oh, I'm going to be very moral, give the 10 grand back. If somebody gives you 15 million pounds, that's your whole party organisation. I don't think anyone in the history of British politics had ever donated 15 million pounds in a single year.

You can't. I mean, if it's so much, you can't return it. Like if somebody gives you 10 grand and then they turn out to have done something bad, you say, oh, I'm going to be very moral, give the 10 grand back. If somebody gives you 15 million pounds, that's your whole party organisation. I don't think anyone in the history of British politics had ever donated 15 million pounds in a single year.

What's someone like Frank Hester hoping to get out of that relationship? I mean, he says he talked a lot to Sunak about AI and how that would revolutionize healthcare. And I think that he feels, you know, I'm at the cutting edge of healthcare. That's the main field he's an entrepreneur in. Obviously, there's going to be, the government's going to want to regulate stuff.

What's someone like Frank Hester hoping to get out of that relationship? I mean, he says he talked a lot to Sunak about AI and how that would revolutionize healthcare. And I think that he feels, you know, I'm at the cutting edge of healthcare. That's the main field he's an entrepreneur in. Obviously, there's going to be, the government's going to want to regulate stuff.

I need a hotline to government. And I think he also thinks, you know, the Tories are much better than Labour. The Tories are a good party for the country. Labour are a bad party for the country. So to some degree, it's genuine belief. But also, I mean, the man is running a serious business that can be regulated by government.

I need a hotline to government. And I think he also thinks, you know, the Tories are much better than Labour. The Tories are a good party for the country. Labour are a bad party for the country. So to some degree, it's genuine belief. But also, I mean, the man is running a serious business that can be regulated by government.

So he has an interest in getting in the way or influencing what that regulation could be.

So he has an interest in getting in the way or influencing what that regulation could be.

Well, it's getting close to that. But the Labour donors, the three main ones, so David Sainsbury doesn't really have a business. Gary Lubner was Autoglass and he's kind of, he's stepped out of that. And then there's Dale Vince, who's a green entrepreneur. Those are the three big ones.

Well, it's getting close to that. But the Labour donors, the three main ones, so David Sainsbury doesn't really have a business. Gary Lubner was Autoglass and he's kind of, he's stepped out of that. And then there's Dale Vince, who's a green entrepreneur. Those are the three big ones.

It's deliberate. So there's, I think, a three-month window in which you have to declare donations. So you discuss with the donor. you know, donate before the election so we can spend the money, but donate at a time where three months later it's going to be August or something, nobody's going to care, everyone will have won the election anyway.

It's deliberate. So there's, I think, a three-month window in which you have to declare donations. So you discuss with the donor. you know, donate before the election so we can spend the money, but donate at a time where three months later it's going to be August or something, nobody's going to care, everyone will have won the election anyway.

So you time the donations for the best possible moment. And, you know, you declare it at 7pm on a Friday when the news desks are empty. So, yeah, all this is thought through beforehand.

So you time the donations for the best possible moment. And, you know, you declare it at 7pm on a Friday when the news desks are empty. So, yeah, all this is thought through beforehand.