Billionaire Tory donor could switch to Labour after blasting Rishi Sunak
The Tories’ biggest donor before the last election says he is now “very open mined” to backing Labour.
Billionaire John Caudwell gave £500,000 to the Conservative Party ahead of the 2019 election. But the Phones4U tycoon has become increasingly critical of Tory policies, especially when it comes to the environment.
Last month Mr Caudwell, 70, described Rishi Sunak ’s delaying of the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars “madness”. And, interviewed by the Mirror today, he was equally unimpressed by the Prime Minister’s party conference speech, which included axing the northern leg of HS2.
Mr Caudwell may start backing Labour (PA)“The whole point was to do with levelling up and all we have done is Birmingham to London,” said Stoke-on-Trent raised Mr Caudwell. The north of England, that was supposed to be levelled up, is deprived.
“I cannot imagine if I were running these projects that I’d be in this situation where it is so wildy over budget that I’d have to cancel part way through.” The entrepreneur, who announced the birth of his seventh child earlier this year, said he saw the logic of the PM’s announced smoking ban.
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But called it a “minor thing” compared with growing the economy to help boost public services and saving the planet. Mr Caudwell, whose fortune is put at £1.57billion in the Sunday Times Rich List, said he was undecided which political party to back, if any.
But in a dig at the Tories, he added: “I would be prepared to invest in any party that has the right policies going forward to make Britain great again and to save the environment at the same time. Is that the Conservatives at the minute? No it isn’t.”
John Caudwell pictured with Boris Johnson (Getty Images)Mr Caudwell said he would be “receptive” to Labour, if the party committed to investing in technologies that benefit the environment and innovation. “If Labour’s other policies were in line with what I’d like to see then I am very open-minded,” he told the Mirror.
The businessman accepted that, given his wealth, including an extravagant super home in London, risks being accused of hypocracy when it comes to talking about the need to tackle a looming environmental “catastrophe”. He says he and his family save money elsewhere.
“I don’t travel by private jet unless I am invited, I go by easyJet,” he said. “People are astonished and say ‘that can’t be you’.” He describes recently going on an all-inclusive package holiday to Turkey.
“This guy - he was with his wife - said ‘do you know, you look just like that guy?’ I said ‘who?’, and he said John Caudwell. I said ‘do I’, and he said ‘you could not possible be him because you’re in this hotel’.”
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