‘Services to land development’: Multimillionaire Tory donor Tony Gallagher given knighthood

A multimillionaire property developer who has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Conservative Party has received a knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours.

Tony Gallagher, who once hosted David Cameron’s 50th birthday party at his 17th-century mansion in Oxfordshire, was knighted for “services to land development and the property business”.

He has given the Conservatives almost three-quarters of a million pounds since Boris Johnson became prime minister last July, just the latest round of his longstanding contributions to Tory coffers.

Labour said the Tories had “taken cronyism to a new level” and suggested the knighthood was really for “services to the Tory party”.

Mr Gallagher is among property developers who have given the Conservatives more than £11m under the current leadership, amid concerns about their increasing influence in the party.

Property developer contributions now make up nearly a quarter of the £47.5m in donations received by the party from last July up until March, up from just 7.9 per cent of the total two years ago.

Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow treasury minister, said: “This is yet another example of Boris Johnson and the Tories handing out honours to their wealthy backers. 

“This government has taken cronyism to a new level so it comes as no surprise that, after donating millions of pounds to the Conservatives, Tony Gallagher is set to receive a knighthood. It looks more and more like honours are being doled out for services to the Tory Party, rather than the country.”

The Queen’s birthday honours list is this year dominated by scientists and medical experts who have worked to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Commenting on the list as a whole, Boris Johnson said: “This year’s honours recipients are a testament to the sort of country we are – caring, compassionate and resolute in the face of a global pandemic.

“The hard work and dedication of these local, often unsung heroes has helped carry us through. I congratulate them all.”