Conservative donor Mohamed Amersi rails against 'bloated' party

Businessman criticises PM Rishi Sunak for lacking strong leadership

Mr Amersi had direct access to then-health secretary Matt Hancock during the coronavirus pandemic. Getty

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.