Lord Cruddas (Peter Cruddas)
Peter Cruddas (Lord Cruddas) — Conservative Donor & Co-Treasurer
Full name: Peter Cruddas — Lord Cruddas of Shoreditch Approx total donated (2024-2026): £3-5 million (historic total over £5m) Source of wealth: Founder of CMC Markets (spread-betting / CFD trading platform, founded 1989). Major City of London figure. Why they donate: Strong Eurosceptic; campaigned heavily for Brexit. Supports low tax, deregulation, free markets. Served as Conservative Party Co-Treasurer (2019-2022) and as a major fundraiser. Controversies: In 2012, caught in a Sunday Times sting offering access to PM David Cameron in exchange for £250k donations. He resigned as party treasurer. Despite the scandal, granted a peerage by Boris Johnson in 2020, which was heavily criticised by transparency campaigners. In 2024-2025 continued to donate and fundraise, drawing ongoing scrutiny over "cash-for-access" concerns.
Notes
- The 2012 scandal was one of the most damaging cash-for-access stories of the Cameron era
- His peerage under Johnson despite the scandal highlighted cronyism concerns
- Still active as a donor and fundraiser through his various business interests