GEORGE OSBORNE was accused yesterday of misusing a grace-and-favour mansion to court support for his Tory leadership bid — and deliberately keeping the public in the dark.

The Treasury has repeatedly refused to publish the list of guests entertained by the Chancellor at the Dorneywood estate in Buckingham.

Labour suspects the taxpayer-funded pad is being used for “party political purposes” and has demanded total transparency over visits. The plush 18th-century property is owned by the National Trust — and £750,000 of public money is being spent on a refurbishment over the next five years.

But the historic site is only open to the public for two weeks a year because Mr Osborne has held the keys to the house since the Tories took power in 2010. The Chancellor is known to hold regular weekend jollies at the estate for his posh pals. He celebrated his 40th birthday party there in 2011 and hosted a barbecue for Tory MPs at the mansion last summer.

Evidence given to the Leveson inquiry revealed that press barons have also been entertained at the house. In addition, the Conservative Party revealed that Mr Osborne had held a lavish dinner for Lord and Lady Wolfson — Tory peers and donors — on May 30, shortly after last year’s general election.

That contradicts the latest Treasury data transparency release about hospitality at the house, which showed a “nil return” between April to September 2015. The Chancellor claims he does not need to register visitors unless they are being entertained at public expense.

A Treasury source said: “Reasonable people would accept that details of people attending private and family occasions paid for out of ministers’ own pockets should not be disclosed.”

But, in a letter to the Chancellor, Labour shadow cabinet office minister Jonathan Ashworth said the property was being “used by you in a way that goes much further than the official government records would suggest.

“Anything less than full transparency will give rise to suspicion that your access to Dorneywood is being used to give privileged treatment to certain individuals and interests in a way to further your own career,” Mr Ashworth wrote.

“It is essential that the public has clarity and confidence over the proper use of properties such as D o r n e y wood.”