 A dinner hosted by Mr Cameron reportedly raised �500,000 |
David Cameron's leadership of the Conservative Party has led to a surge in donations, an article suggests. The Spectator magazine said �21m had been raised during the last year, compared with �15m in a normal non-election financial year.
The party will be able to reduce its debts to �5m when it sells the former Conservative Central Office building at Smith Square, it was added.
A �5,000-a-plate dinner last month is thought to have raised �500,000.
'Down to David'
The Spectator said the fact Labour has debts of �23m could mean Tony Blair's successor calling a snap general election after the prime minister steps down later this year.
But Labour chairman Hazel Blears wrote to party activists last month, urging them to prepare for a poll "which may be less than 16 months away".
Mr Cameron said last week that he would "love to have an early election".
The Liberal Democrats also said they were "ready and waiting".
However, some commentators fear that parties' reliance on large-scale donations is damaging democracy.
It is helping to reduce memberships and giving wealthy supporters too much say, they argue.
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