Labour
Major donors and affiliated trade unions funding the Labour Party.
Lord Sainsbury
David Sainsbury — Labour's Biggest Individual Donor
Full name: David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville Approx total donated (2024-2026): £8-10 million Source of wealth: Former chairman of Sainsbury's supermarket chain; family fortune estimated at £1.5 billion Why they donate: Long-time Labour supporter, science and innovation advocate, served as Science Minister under Tony Blair. Supports Labour as the most viable party for economic competence and public service investment. Controversies: Previous donations to Labour caused scrutiny over potential policy influence; his role as a Labour peer raises questions about donations and legislative influence. In 2024, his donations continued to be questioned in the context of Labour's ties to wealthy individuals.
Notes
- Consistently Labour's largest single individual donor for decades
- Owns the Sainsbury family's political giving — split with other family members who donate to Tories
- Has funded Labour's general election campaigns heavily, including £5m+ to the 2024 campaign
- Also funds Labour-aligned think tanks and policy groups
John Mills
John Mills — Labour Donor & Businessman
Full name: John Mills Approx total donated (2024-2026): £4-5 million Source of wealth: Founder of JML (JML Group, televised consumer goods company); estimated wealth £150-200 million Why they donate: Long-standing Labour donor. Supports economic growth agenda, advocates for pro-business Labour policies. Also funds Labour Together think tank and various internal party groups. Has written extensively on economics. Controversies: Close ties to Labour leadership have attracted criticism over donations influencing party policy direction away from traditional left-wing positions. Some on the Labour left view his influence as pulling the party toward business-friendly centrism.
Notes
- Major donor to Labour Together, the key internal Labour organisation
- Also funds Progress, Labour's centrist internal faction
- Has been a consistent donor through multiple leaderships
- Strong advocate for Labour embracing business and enterprise
Gary Lubner (Oval Group)
Gary Lubner — Labour Donor (Oval Group)
Full name: Gary Lubner Approx total donated (2024-2026): £1.5-3 million (via Oval, his insurance/money services company) Source of wealth: Founder/CEO of Oval (financial services, insurance technology); also involvement in banking and fintech Why they donate: Supports Labour's business-friendly agenda. Advocates for financial services sector interests within Labour. Controversies: Questions over whether Oval donations represent corporate rather than personal giving. Scrutiny over Labour's ties to the financial services sector under Starmer.
Notes
- Oval has donated significantly via corporate structures
- Lubner's donations mirror a broader trend of financial services backing Starmer's Labour
- Part of a cohort of wealthy businesspeople who shifted support from Tories to Labour
Unite the Union
Unite the Union — Labour's Largest Union Funder
Full name: Unite the Union Approx total donated (2024-2026): £3-5 million (via affiliation fees, direct donations, and campaign support) Type: Trade union — Labour's largest union affiliate Why they donate: Represents working-class interests across manufacturing, transport, public services, and logistics. Seeks to influence Labour's industrial relations, workers' rights, and nationalisation policy. Controversies: Internal factional battles within Labour have been heavily influenced by Unite. Accusations of "block vote" influence over candidate selection and policy direction. Under previous leader Len McCluskey, Unite was a major force in Labour's leftward shift. Current leadership under Sharon Graham has been more focused on industrial action but remains influential.
Notes
- Around 1.2 million members
- Also funds Labour MPs directly through constituency donations
- Was central to the factional battles of the Corbyn era
- Sharon Graham's leadership has deprioritised internal Labour politics relative to industrial strategy
GMB
GMB — Labour Union Donor
Full name: GMB (Britain's General Union) Approx total donated (2024-2026): £1.5-2.5 million Type: Trade union Why they donate: Represents public sector and private sector workers across a wide range of industries. Seeks to influence Labour policy on workers' rights, public services, and nationalisation. Controversies: Allegations of union influence over Labour internal democracy and candidate selection. The GMB has been more aligned with Labour's centre than Unite, but still draws scrutiny over the scale of union political funding.
Notes
- Major union in local government, health, energy, and distribution sectors
- One of Labour's "affiliated unions" — negotiates the Labour relationship
- Was among the unions most critical of the Corbyn leadership
UNISON
UNISON — Labour Union Donor
Full name: UNISON (Public Service Union) Approx total donated (2024-2026): £1-2 million Type: Trade union Why they donate: Britain's largest public sector union. Seeks to protect public services, defend pay and conditions, and influence Labour's public spending priorities. Controversies: Less controversial internally than Unite, but still raises questions about union funding of a political party. Some members have objected to UNISON's affiliation fees going to Labour rather than being spent on industrial organising.
Notes
- Around 1.2 million members — Britain's biggest union
- Represents local government, NHS, education, police, and utility workers
- Has been a more moderate voice within Labour's union wing
- Strong supporter of public service restoration under Labour