by Jimmy Lucas

OWEN SMITH received big money backing for his challenge to Jeremy Corbyn from Tory, Lib Dem and Green Party donors, figures published by Parliament have revealed.

The Pontypridd MP lost the Labour leadership election despite pocketing three times more cash from large donors for his campaign than Mr Corbyn, the register of MPs’ interests published on Thursday shows.

The failed candidate received more than £808,000 in donations over £1,000, compared with £254,000 given to Mr Corbyn.

Morning Star analysis of the parliamentary records shows he accepted support from rich individuals who have previously supported other political parties, despite his supporters claiming Mr Corbyn’s campaign was beset by infiltration.

Mr Smith’s joint largest donation of £100,000 came from Allamhouse, described as a “management holding company” by Bloomberg.

Allamhouse gave more than half a million to Labour before the last general election, but it also handed £10,000 to the Conservatives in the Haltemprice and Howden constituency to support the re-election of Brexit Secretary David Davis.

A company called Betterworld gave £10,000 to Mr Smith’s leadership challenge.

This year, the company has given five-figure sums to Labour, deputy leader Tom Watson and secretive anti-Corbyn group Labour Tomorrow.

But since 2005, it has also donated £445,250 to the Lib Dems through the national party and a dozen constituencies.

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas also received £2,500 from the company in 2014.

Matthew Oakeshott is another Lib Dem and Green donor who backed Mr Smith to the tune of £10,000.

Mr Oakeshott, who made his millions from property investments, backed Labour and Lib Dem candidates, as well as Ms Lucas, at the last general election.

He has also given £35,000 to the Green Party centrally since 2015.

Former BBC director general Greg Dyke, who made five-figure donations to the Lib Dems before the 2010 and 2015 general elections, gave Mr Smith £2,000.

Mr Smith won endorsements from four affiliated trade unions for his campaign, but only GMB offered financial support (£53,800), according to the figures.

By contrast, Mr Corbyn’s campaign was backed by the subs of members of six trade unions.

He received only one private donation from Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack and the only other major non-union donation received was £50,000 from Momentum.

Despite receiving half a million pounds less in big money donations, Mr Corbyn won 313,209 votes to 139,229 for Mr Smith.

It meant that every vote cast for Mr Smith cost £4 compared with 80p for Mr Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn received many donations too small to be reported.

Donations given to Mr Smith were just £11,000 less than the combined £821,715 raised by Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall in the 2015 Labour leadership election.

Mr Corbyn won that contest with funding of just £157,811.57, which was also the best value for money.