Tories received twice as much cash as Labour in run-up to calling snap election

The Conservatives received more than twice as much money from donors as Labour did in the run-up to Theresa May calling a snap election, according to official figures.

The donation statistics, released by the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, show the Tories took £5.46m between January and March 2017.

The largest single donation to the party was from mining millionaire Michael David, who provided £317,000.

Labour raised £2.64m, mostly from trade unions. Unite, Britain’s biggest trade union, donated £657,702, while Unison gave £376,242. Former F1 boss Max Mosley gave Labour £300,000.

Last week, statistics released by the Electoral Commission showed that the Conservatives had raised more than £1.5m more than Labour at the kick-off of the election campaign.

Parties must reported their donations more regularly during the regulated election campaign period.

Under official rules parties that stand across the country are allowed to spend around £19m on national expenditure, with candidates also allowed to spend an additional amount locally.

Campaigners have sounded the alarm on the possibility that current rules allow local expenditure to be improperly badged as national expenditure, however.

Tight restrictions in on spending in the marginal seats that decide the election encourage parties to try and bend these rules: with targeted social media the latest battleground.

The Commission said total donations to all political parties in the three-month period was £9.39m.

The Liberal Democrats received £603,155, the Co-operative Party – which has links with Labour – £322,800, Ukip £246,910, the Green Party £58,170, Plaid Cymru £23,000 and the SNP £3,300