A pro-Brexit hotelier threw Boris Johnson a £12,000 victory party after he won the Conservative leadership contest, the updated register of MPs’ interests has revealed.
Johnson and his supporters were hosted by Brown’s hotel, in Mayfair, central London, on the evening of 23 July, the register shows. Brown’s is owned by Rocco Forte, a millionaire who is a strong supporter of Brexit.
The register also shows Johnson received more than £38,000 in additional donations to his leadership campaign that had not been previously declared, taking the total since May to almost £650,000.
The donors included the private equity firm boss Hazem Ben-Gacem, who donated £25,000, and the Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross, who gave £10,000.
The register also shows Johnson declared a new 50% share in a home in London, likely to be a house in Camberwell, south-east London, that he has reportedly bought with his partner, Carrie Symonds.
In the final declaration of leadership donations, Johnson was marginally beaten by his rival, Jeremy Hunt, who attracted more than £39,000. His donors included the former Conservative party co-treasurer James Lupton, and the private investment firm Aquind, co-run by the Russian former arms dealer Alexander Temerko, who opposes a hard Brexit.
The register also shows the activities of some of the Conservative MPs pushed out by Johnson: both Theresa May and the former justice secretary David Gauke declared £600 ticket and hospitality packages for the England-Ireland cricket Test match at Lord’s on 25 July, the day the new prime minister took over.
The pair were pictured enjoying themselves at the game, along with the former business secretary Greg Clark, who has not yet declared the event.
Johnson, Hunt and other candidates to replace May attracted significant donations over the campaign period, primarily from wealthy individuals connected to finance, banking and property.
A Guardian analysis in July showed that of 27 individuals who donated to Johnson and could be identified, 11 worked in investment and asset management or similar jobs, four owned hedge funds and two were property developers. They gave more than £200,000 between them.
Among the corporate donations, Johnson received seven separate contributions from the digger company JCB and its pro-Brexit boss, Anthony Bamford.
