Wealthy Tory donors poured more than £100,000 into party coffers last night for the chance to rub shoulders – and take to the cricket pitch – with senior Cabinet ministers.
One paid £35,000 to play cricket with Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the auction at the lavish annual Winter Party – formerly known as the Black and White Ball.
Among the other hot items at the fundraiser was the chance to belt out pop classics in a karaoke session with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, which went for £22,000.
And dinner with the party-loving Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove went for £25,000, according to the Sun, though it is unclear if it included dancing afterwards.
As well as access to senior ministers, one Tory donor is said to have paid £30,000 for a Get Brexit Done sign used by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the 2019 election campaign.
Buffet and bowling: Tory donors paid £25,000 for dinner with Michael Gove and £35,000 for an hour of cricket with Chancellor Rishi Sunak (both pictured today in Downing Street)
Boris Johnson was present at the party between voting on a difficult day for Prime Minister.
Singing the blues: Among the other hot items at the fundraiser was the chance to belt out pop classics in a karaoke session with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, which went for £22,000
As well as access to senior ministers, one Tory donor is said to have paid £30,000 for a Get Brexit Done sign used by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the 2019 election campaign
The opulent event came as pressure mounted on Mr Johnson to raise his game today after a major rebellion on social care and anger at his shambolic speech to business chiefs.
After 19 MPs voted against lowering the care cost cap last night and dozens of others abstained, the PM now has his Cabinet.
Although the government’s plan was approved by a large majority of 77 people, alarm bells have been ringing at Downing Street since that margin fell to 26.
Following a chaotic performance by Mr Johnson at the CBI conference the blow was dealt. The hall was in an awkward silence for 20 seconds when he lost his thread.
He made engine sounds and also made eyebrows when he spoke on the children’s cartoon Peppa Pig.
Following the debacle over lobbying that was sparked by Johnson’s failure to protect Owen Paterson, the bewildering scenes have been the subject of vicious briefing.
Mr Johnson continued to refer to Peppapig in his second speech at last night’s conference for CPS, and then he mentioned the animating porcine hero at that ball.
In his second speech, Mr Johnson made reference to Peppapig at last night’s conference at which he was addressing the CPS thinktank. He then mentioned the animating porcine hero at that ball.
According to one Government source, Johnson was still struggling with a cold and seemed to be suffering from ‘a little too much Lemsip. Downing Street insiders were reportedly critical of the premier. One said that Johnson had suffered from a recurring cold and was now unable to walk.
According to a senior Downing Street source, the BBC was told by a top Downing Street official that there is concern about the PM. It’s not working. Cabinet should wake up and demand major changes.
Even though Johnson doesn’t appear to be in imminent danger, it seems that the situation is getting more dire by the day.
Another front brought him under fire last night: a Cabinet minister spoke out in support of tax cuts after taxes rose to their highest point during peacetime.
Ex-Brexit negotiator Lord Frost declared that low taxes was the key to success in his country, in rare public intervention.
He said that the UK should move on from EU regulations so Britain can “step up and be competitive at a global scale.”