Throughout the controversy over George Osborne’s “pasty tax”, huge donations were made to the Conservative Party by the owner of pasty firm Ginsters – sparking a row over whether the donation may have been in support of the tax on hot pasties (Ginsters are known for cold snacks) or to protect their emerging line of heated snacks.
Mark Samworth, who heads Samworth Brothers which owns the Ginsters brand, gave £100,000 to the Tories, between the announcement of the VAT change in the budget and the government’s volte face on Monday.
Electoral Commission records (click to enlarge)
According to Electoral Commission registers, Samworth donated an eye-watering £90,000 to the central Party on 30 March – just over a week after the budget. He also made two donations of £5,000 each to local parties, including Rutland and Melton Conservative Association, covering the spiritual home of pork pies in Melton Mowbray.
Could this be an emerging “cash for pasties” scandal?
5 Comments
Seeing as Ginsters products are sold cold out of fridges the ‘pasty tax’ (tax on hot pies etc) could never apply to them. In fact, it is probably in their interests, so unless they were trying to bribe Osborne to keep the tax in place I don’t see what the scandal is?
Could this be an emerging “cash for pasties” scandal?
QTWTAIN
@Ivan:
I think that’s kind of the point. Your enemy’s enemy is your friend.
Wonder if Ivan might have benefited from reading the story before commenting.
@Fromconcentrate
Maybe Ivan read the story and commented before it was edited by the author?