Michael Ashcroft, the former Conservative party treasurer turned political biographer and publisher, has once again set the political agenda with his latest book on Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner. The biography, titled Red Queen?, has sparked a row over Rayner's tax affairs, prompting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to raise the issue at Prime Minister's Questions.
Labour leader Keir Starmer hit back, accusing Sunak and Ashcroft of smearing a working-class woman. Starmer's comments have led to a demand for an apology from Ashcroft, who remains unrepentant. Ashcroft's publishing company, Biteback Publishing, also released Liz Truss's memoir 10 Years to Save the West this week, further fuelling political debate.
Ashcroft, a billionaire peer, has a history of shaping Conservative strategy through donations and polling. However, his relationship with the party soured after 2010, partly due to his tax domicile in Belize. He now focuses on polling and publishing, which have often embarrassed his former colleagues. A recent Ashcroft poll showed Labour leading the Tories on every major issue, including tax and defence.
Ashcroft's biographies have a mixed record. While sympathetic to figures like Jacob Rees-Mogg and Rishi Sunak, his book on David Cameron contained explosive allegations, and his work on Boris Johnson's wife was scathing. Critics say his recent books on Starmer and Rayner rely on secondhand sources, but they have still provided ammunition for the Conservatives.
Ashcroft insists his biographies are fair and accurate, despite being refused cooperation by both Starmer and Rayner. Questions remain about his direct involvement in the books, given his reliance on co-authors and researchers.
