A leading Conservative donor has attacked the “bloated” party headquarters, claiming that democracy is “up for sale”.
Mohamed Amersi has given more than £1.2 million ($1.4 million) to the Conservatives but has now condemned how the Tories run their financial affairs following several controversies.
Asked if he wanted to continue donating money to the Conservative Party, Mr Amersi told Times Radio that he had changed his approach and then rebuked Conservative Campaign Headquarters in London.
“I would rather be giving money to individual MPs,” he said. “So that you will not be putting money into a bloated infrastructure sitting in London that is sucking up a lot of money and questionably not doing much.”
He also criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, saying he was not a strong leader and had failed to tackle the economy.
“So far I haven't seen the bold, strong, visionary leadership that this party and this country should be entitled to,” he said.
It was disclosed last week that Mr Amersi and fellow party donor Mustafa Mohammed had direct access to then-health secretary Matt Hancock during the coronavirus pandemic.
No financial gain had been made from the discussions about companies that could offer Covid services and that he was also helping during a medical emergency,” Mr Amersi said.
But the messages have led to questions over donors and their influence with senior party members.
Mr Amersi, 63, was asked about whether major donors to the Conservative Party should be investigated over how much influence their money buys.
He said the issue should be looked at as it could mean “that our democracy is for sale to the highest bidder”.
“In the past I have called for a fix to this issue and the fix is that actually donations should be kept as simple as £5,000 per person per company,” he said.
Mr Amersi, who has been linked to business deals with Russia and connections in Iran, also said that not enough checks had been done on the motivation for donations or whether it was “clean money”.
“I think democracy is for sale,” he said. “And I just worry that we may need to redefine democracy so that government of the people, by the people for the people is government for the rich, by the rich and of the rich.”
Mr Amersi, who in 2021 formed the Conservative Friends of the Middle East and North Africa, has also been involved in a legal action against Charlotte Leslie, director of the long-established Conservative Middle East Council.
Leading members of the British establishment have been dragged into the controversy. King Charles, who once entertained Mr Amersi at his castle in Scotland, was drawn into questions over party funding, along with former prime minister Theresa May.
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The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
