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Conservative party donor to fund Labour

The Greenrock-based PG Paper has donated £51,498 to the Conservative party in the past five years. About a quarter of that amount was donated after Sunak became prime minister

A file photo of prime minister Rishi Sunak interacting with guests during a reception to celebrate Vaisakhi at No.10 Downing Street on April 14. (Flickr)

By: Shajil Kumar

An Asian-origin businessman who used to donate regulary to the Conservative party has now pledged to fund the Labour.

Puneet Gupta, who co-owns PG Paper with his wife, has said that the country’s economic growth has stagnated under Rishi Sunak and the overall performance of the government is ‘hugely disappointing’, The Times reports.

Some Tory leaders got to know about Gupta’s switch at an event to celebrate the Vaisakhi festival at Downing Street reception last month, where he was also invited.

The Greenrock-based PG Paper has donated £51,498 to the Conservative party in the past five years. About a quarter of that amount was donated after Sunak became prime minister. The latest donation was made last December, according to Electoral Commission records.

Before that PG Paper had donated to the Scottish Labour MSP Anas Sarwar’s failed leadership campaign in 2017. Sarwar has since become the Scottish Labour leader.

Gupta said, “As someone who runs an international business headquartered in Scotland, it’s been hugely disappointing to see both the United Kingdom and Scotland remain stagnant in these vital areas in recent years.”

He felt the Labour party offers a realistic chance for change across both the UK and Scotland.