Tories want donors to 'defeat rise of socialism'

David Cameron accepts super-rich flash cash at Tory bash (Click to enlarge)

James Ivens

The Tories are advertising for regular donations to "defeat the rise of socialism."

Their 'Club 2020' seeks "business professionals alarmed by Labour's left-wing rhetoric" and "army of far left-wing supporters." Apparently Labour wants to "abolish our armed forces" and has "openly sympathised with terrorist groups."

Presumably Club 2020 also offers to check under its members' beds.

Tory donor clubs exist because "unlike Labour, the Conservative Party is not funded by the trade unions." Instead, it offers the super-rich and their flunkies the chance to buy influence over policy.

At just Ł50 a month, Club 2020 donors are the undergrowth of Tory patronage. But they can still find themselves "meeting the party's key politicians at two Club 2020 events every year." On the club's founding in 2015, the Daily Mail suggested this included Philip Hammond, then foreign secretary.

Perhaps you would like influence over top Tories? There's a range of options.

'Fastrack' for young professionals is Ł300 a year; the 'Front Bench Club' is Ł5,000. Members of the Ł50,000 'Leader's Group' get direct access to the prime minister at private dinners.

At least the Tories are honest about this set-up. For all their millions in affiliation fees, Labour's structures give the unions almost no influence on policy.

Meanwhile, Labour's Blairite right is always eager to hand peerages to leading business donors, just like the Tories. Labour has donors' clubs too.

Are you sick of the capitalists' crony politics? The Socialist Party has no big business backers. We fight for the working class - and decide policy democratically, not by auction.

Donate today to help realise the Tories' nightmare of the rise of socialism.

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