The co-treasurer of the British Conservative Party, Peter Cruddas, a wealthy self-made businessman, made some revealing and highly embarrassing comments recently to journalists from The Sunday Times posing as potential donors to the Tories.
He suggested that donors who wanted to be in the "Premier League," to use soccer terminology, should contribute at least a quarter of a million pounds (over ¥32 million) to the party's coffers. He also indicated that donors in the "Premier League" could expect to be invited to dinner with the prime minister and his wife Samantha at Number 10 Downing Street, the prime minister's official residence. Their views and suggestions could also be passed on to the policy committee at Number 10.
The journalists claimed to represent foreign donors from whom political parties in Britain are legally precluded from receiving money.