According to the Electoral Commission, the party underreported non-cash contributions in the amount of a staff member seconded to the party by contributor Richard Harpin between April 2020 and December 2023.
Since 2008, Mr. Harpin, the founder of the review website Checkatrade and the home repair company HomeServe, has contributed about £3 million in cash and non-cash to the Conservative Party.
The employee who worked at the party part-time reported non-cash donations understated by over £200,000 when they started working there full-time.
In December 2023, the Tories also failed to disclose one non-cash donation that was made in connection with the same seconded employee.
On March 6, the party paid two fines totaling £10,750, claiming that it was a “administrative error” and “not deliberate”.
