Companies that donated to Labour have been awarded contracts worth almost £138m during the party’s first year in government, according to research by the Autonomy Institute. The study raises fresh concerns about the link between political donations and public spending, identifying more than 100 firms that gave money to parties and later won government contracts under both Conservative and Labour administrations.
The analysis shows eight companies that donated over £580,000 to Labour received government contracts worth nearly £138m within two years of their donation, between July 2024 and June 2025. Among them, consultancy Baringa Partners donated £30,061.50 in January 2024 and secured £35.2m in contracts, while Grant Thornton donated £81,658.37 and was awarded £6.5m.
The report follows a previous Guardian investigation revealing Tory-linked donors received billions in public funds since 2016. The Autonomy Institute found 125 companies were awarded central government contracts worth £28.8bn after making £30.15m in political donations, with £2.5bn awarded within two years. The vast bulk—£25.4bn—went to Conservative donors under previous governments, including Randox Laboratories and Globus Shetland during the pandemic.
Dr Susan Hawley of Spotlight on Corruption said the findings show a systemic problem with the UK’s weak handling of conflicts of interest, calling for a ban on political donors receiving public contracts. A government spokesperson insisted all contracts are awarded fairly and transparently, while a Conservative spokesperson said donations were fully compliant with the law.
The study also identified four government “strategic suppliers”—Fujitsu, KPMG, Microsoft and PwC—that had donated to parties and received contracts. Before the 2024 election, Labour criticised the awarding of contracts to Tory-linked firms without competitive tender during the pandemic.
