The People's Chamber
ISSUE 78
JUN 5-11, 2026
← All donations

Beneficial-ownership shield · Trust donations

UK political donations routed through a trust

383 declared donations totalling £3,259,933list a trust as the donor rather than a named individual or company. The Electoral Commission requires the trust creator’s name and status to be recorded, but the working capital and the active beneficial chain stay one step removed from the public register. The list runs from the late-Victorian Liberal Club bequests still paying out today to modern opaque vehicles.

Trusts by lifetime giving · 65

#TrustCreatorRecipient(s)DonationsLifetime total
1Hamworthy Hall TrusteesHamworthy HallLiberal Democrats12£493,585
2Lord Michael MontagueLord Michael MontagueProgressive Britain Ltd (formally Progress Ltd)8£438,500
3Methuen Liberal Trust FundAlgernon M S MethuenLiberal Democrats2£329,352
4Lib Dem HQ (1924) Pension FundHenry Vivian PhillipsLiberal Democrats1£280,044
5Summerseat Liberal ClubSummerseat Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats1£248,591
6The Mainstream TrustThe Rt Hon Lord HeseltineParliamentary Mainstream +281£179,166
7Scottish Unionist Association TrustScottish Unionist AssociationConservative and Unionist Party48£169,367
8Sir Havergal Downes-Shaw Will TrustSir Havergal Downes-Shaw WillConservative and Unionist Party42£144,221
9Wirral Liberal ClubChristopher Armitage LeeLiberal Democrats1£127,710
10Garstang Liberal ClubGarstang Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats10£97,055
11Congleton Liberal Club Building Company.Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanyLiberal Democrats30£96,261
12Bebington Liberal Club TrustThe Right Honourable Philip William Bryce Viscount LeverhulmeLiberal Democrats4£78,076
13Exeter Constitutional TrustExeter ConstitutionalConservative and Unionist Party17£63,750
14The Yeovil C.I.F. Trust FundYeovil CIF Trust FundLiberal Democrats7£57,195
15Leamington FundLeamington FundConservative and Unionist Party1£34,000
16Darlington Liberal Democrats TrustDarlington Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats14£31,980
17Lord Brecon Bequest FundLord Brecon Bequest FundConservative and Unionist Party2£26,050
18Leagrave Trustc/o Derrick PattenLabour Party4£25,710
19Branksome Liberal Club TrustBranksome Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats7£23,329
20St. Ives Liberal Hall TrustSt Ives Liberal Hall TrustLiberal Democrats6£19,000
21Ada Rosina Cook’s Will TrustAda Rosina CookConservative and Unionist Party1£18,618
22The Glisson Road TrustGlisson RoadLiberal Democrats2£18,000
23Dudley Gladstone Liberal ClubDudley Gladstone Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats1£15,854
24Castle Cary Liberal Club and AssociationCastle Cary Liberal Club and AssociationLiberal Democrats3£14,500
25Tenby Liberal TrustTenby LiberalLiberal Democrats4£13,845
26not recorded 1995-05-10not recordedLiberal Democrats1£12,938
27Brixham Liberal TrustD B PercyLiberal Democrats2£12,833
28Sir Arthur RowbothamSir Arthur RowbothamLiberal Democrats2£11,030
29Trustees of West Hull & Hessle Conservative AssociationWest Hull & Hessle Conservative AssociationConservative and Unionist Party8£10,103
30Congleton Liberal Club Building Company..Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanyLiberal Democrats1£10,000
31Ms Isobel Margaret Benton FisherMs Isobel Margaret Benton FisherScottish National Party (SNP)1£10,000
32Gowlett TrustBen GowlettLabour Party1£10,000
33The Liberal Democrat Norfolk & Norwich Area HQ FundLib Dem Norfolk & Norwich Area HQ FundLiberal Democrats5£9,237
34Scottish Trust for Liberal DemocracyScottish Trust for Liberal DemocracyLiberal Democrats2£9,000
35Yorkshire Conservative TrustYorkshire Area CouncilConservative and Unionist Party3£9,000
36Wimborne Liberal Hall TrustWimborne Liberal HallLiberal Democrats4£8,800
37Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust LtdJoseph RowntreeAnother Europe Is Possible1£7,820
38Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanySarah JohnsonLiberal Democrats5£7,400
39Blandford Liberal Hall Trust (created 9 Oct 1924)HW Jeans J Emlyn-Jones AJ Hicks AJE Blandford T EdmondsLiberal Democrats1£7,000
40Crediton Area Liberal Democrats Property TrusteesCrediton Area Liberal Democrats PropertyLiberal Democrats1£6,000
41Newtown Hall TrustNewtown HallLiberal Democrats3£5,665
42Morris Hall TrustMorrils Hall TrustLabour Party5£5,200
43The Bransgore TrustBransgoreLiberal Democrats1£5,000
44Earlswood Hall TrusteesEarlswood HallConservative and Unionist Party1£5,000
45Ben Gowlett TrusteesBenjamin Frederick GowlettLabour Party1£5,000
46Glasgow Unionist Association TrustGlasgow Unionist AssociationConservative and Unionist Party3£4,365
47Coggeshall Liberal Club TrustCoggeshall Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats1£4,300
48The Garstung Liberal Club TrustGarstang Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats1£4,000
49South Dorset Property TrustSouth Dorset Liberal AssociationLiberal Democrats1£4,000
50Ellis Marsden Memorial TrustJames RoyleLabour Party1£3,881
51Dundee Liberal Club TrustDundee Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats2£3,500
52Arthur Palmer Memorial TrustMr James Anthony LeekMr Roger Casale MP3£3,251
53not recorded 1900-01-01not recordedLiberal Democrats1£2,500
54HuntingdonHuntingdonLiberal Democrats1£2,250
55Trustess of Jed Forest Liberal ClubJed Forest Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats1£2,000
56Norham Liberal TrustNorham LiberalLiberal Democrats1£2,000
57The Yeovil CIF Trust FundYeovil CIFLiberal Democrats1£1,846
58The Lib Dem Norfolk & Norwich Area HQ FundNigel Clifford LubbockLiberal Democrats1£1,800
59Harwich Liberal Association TrustHarwich Liberal AssociationLiberal Democrats1£1,550
60Trustees of Caernarvon Liberal Ass.Jed Forest Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats1£1,500
61Ranees LtdRanees LtdConservative and Unionist Party1£1,500
62Richard Cobden HouseRichard Cobden HouseLiberal Democrats1£1,500
63not recorded 1961-01-01not recordedLiberal Democrats1£1,454
64Wigston Constitutional TrustWigston ConstitutionalConservative and Unionist Party1£1,350
65Morris Hall TrusteesMorris HallLabour Party1£600

Most recent trust donations

TrustRecipientAcceptedAmount
Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanyLiberal Democrats2025-12-18£700
Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanyLiberal Democrats2025-11-17£1,000
Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanyLiberal Democrats2025-11-05£700
Garstang Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats2025-10-03£10,000
Sir Havergal Downes-Shaw Will TrustConservative and Unionist Party2025-07-15£700
Darlington Liberal Democrats TrustLiberal Democrats2025-03-31£1,000
Sir Havergal Downes-Shaw Will TrustConservative and Unionist Party2024-10-08£2,000
Wirral Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats2024-09-29£127,710
Sir Havergal Downes-Shaw Will TrustConservative and Unionist Party2024-06-24£1,000
Yorkshire Conservative TrustConservative and Unionist Party2024-06-24£3,000
Yorkshire Conservative TrustConservative and Unionist Party2024-06-18£3,000
Yorkshire Conservative TrustConservative and Unionist Party2024-06-18£3,000
South Dorset Property TrustLiberal Democrats2024-06-09£4,000
Castle Cary Liberal Club and AssociationLiberal Democrats2024-06-03£8,000
Exeter Constitutional TrustConservative and Unionist Party2024-05-24£4,000
Darlington Liberal Democrats TrustLiberal Democrats2024-04-09£1,680
Ellis Marsden Memorial TrustLabour Party2024-03-15£3,881
St. Ives Liberal Hall TrustLiberal Democrats2024-03-06£5,000
Blandford Liberal Hall Trust (created 9 Oct 1924)Liberal Democrats2023-12-20£7,000
Bebington Liberal Club TrustLiberal Democrats2023-10-09£2,745
Bebington Liberal Club TrustLiberal Democrats2023-10-09£5,489
Darlington Liberal Democrats TrustLiberal Democrats2023-06-29£1,000
The Yeovil C.I.F. Trust FundLiberal Democrats2023-06-29£4,006
The Yeovil C.I.F. Trust FundLiberal Democrats2023-06-29£6,900
The Yeovil C.I.F. Trust FundLiberal Democrats2023-06-29£20,000
The Yeovil C.I.F. Trust FundLiberal Democrats2023-06-29£20,000
Congleton Liberal Club Building CompanyLiberal Democrats2023-06-18£2,000
Garstang Liberal ClubLiberal Democrats2023-04-04£10,000
Sir Havergal Downes-Shaw Will TrustConservative and Unionist Party2023-04-02£2,000
Sir Havergal Downes-Shaw Will TrustConservative and Unionist Party2023-01-26£2,000

Source: Electoral Commission donations register, trust_name field. The creator column reflects the EC’s record of who established the trust; for older trusts this is typically a deceased benefactor.