LABOUR’S leadership battle was hardly awash with cash, but Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign was best value for money.

The four contenders declared almost £1 million in donations in lump sums over £1,500, an analysis of donations for the Star shows.

But Corbyn spent a relatively modest £157,811.57 during his journey from 200/1 outsider to Labour leader.

That compares with a staggering £355,356.56 blown by Yvette Cooper’s team, £247,522.12 by Andy Burnham and £233,175 by Liz Kendall.

The figures feature in the updated official Register of Members’ Financial Interests, in which all MPs must declare any donations greater than £1,500.

It does not show any of the small individual sums of money given by ordinary people, which was a strength of the Corbyn campaign.

Mr Corbyn received £200,000 in small donations — an average of £23.50 per donation.

As might be expected, most of his big-money donors were unions, with Aslef, Unite, RMT and TSSA all stumping up cash for his campaign.

Meanwhile the other candidates received money from political lobbyists including those linked to repressive regimes, the nuclear power industry, and GM crop companies.

Other donors also included defence contractors, former Blair aides and confederates plus a sprinkling of showbiz stars and other millionaire Labour supporters.

Mr Burnham made a point of refusing to accept trade union money thoughout the campaign.

But Mr Corbyn paid tribute to the trade unions who backed him at his victory rally on Saturday, saying: “We received, asked for and got no corporate donations whatsoever. This has been a people’s campaign.”

Cooper’s donations included £100,000 from super-wealthy Labour couple thriller writer Ken Follett and his ex-MP wife Barbara.
Burnham’s funds included a loan and payment of phone and office costs by businessman Graham Nigel Cole, boss of GKN — a manufacturer of components, including those used for military vehicles.

Kendall’s campaign donations included £10,000 from former Blair aide Tim Allan, who left Downing Street to set up his own lobbying firm Portland Communications, which has represented the authorities of Bahrain, notorious for repressive treatment of pro-democracy protesters, and Kazhakstan, whose human rights record is atrocious.

Full details of donations can be found here, under the individual member’s name at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/150907/150907.pdf

lukejames@peoples-press.com