Millionaire Leave donor Arron Banks becomes a Tory at last

BREXIT backer Arron Banks has had his application to join the Conservative Party accepted by a local association.

Mr Banks, who bankrolled Leave.EU, and business partner Andy Wigmore, applied to join the North West Leicestershire association of Tory MP Andrew Bridgen.

The millionaire has also booked a table for a fundraising event in two weeks, which makes him a party donor.

Mr Banks, a former Ukip donor and ally of Nigel Farage, has urged Brexit supporters to join the Conservatives to try to influence the direction of Brexit and any leadership contest.

But this has sparked accusations of ‘entryism’ from Remain-supporting MPs. Last night Mr Bridgen, a prominent Brexiteer, said he welcomed them and said their applications had been accepted by his association chairman.

Addressing criticism of the move, he added: ‘Are we saying that people who have been in other parties cannot join the Tories? Because that rules out members of the Cabinet.’

Mr Banks and Mr Wigmore tried to join the party last month through a central application process, but were rejected by the party HQ.

The new application is more difficult for Tory chairman Brandon Lewis, because powers over membership are largely devolved to associations.