Dominic Johnson: Ignore rumours, the fact is donors, both large and small, are supporting our renewal

Lord Johnson is a former Minister and now co-chairman of the Conservative Party

Are you ready for some incredible news?

The Party Finances are in good shape.

I know. It’s not what you expected, but it’s true.

I have been raising money for this great institution for over 16 years now and there is no doubt that in terms of our finances, we are in a far better place than most credit us. We raised £3.4m in the first quarter of this year – a huge increase on the £2m we raised at the end of last year – where we managed to harvest more than every major party combined.

In the UK we live in rather an amazing democracy where political campaigning is paid for by voluntary donors. Well, when I say ‘voluntary’ I use the term to apply to the Labour Unions loosely, but the key point is that political campaigns are not paid for by the state, which they are in many European countries.

Instead in the Conservative Party we rely on the goodwill of individuals to fund our machine and deliver our vision.  As a Party we should be grateful to these amazing people – from the members chipping in what they can to back our campaigns on issues like Winter Fuel,  to fantastic entrepreneurs backing our unashamedly pro-business approach to policy development. The Party fundraisers and the treasurers team inspired by Mike Chattey also need our thanks. What is most exciting is that several of our big contributors are brand new and many have come back to us – being energised by Kemi’s properly Conservative approach.

Frankly I get quite frustrated that not enough people think they should make political donations – if you can you should. The Americans understand that and we should celebrate political donors far more than we do.

Businesses know that the only pro-business party in the UK is The Conservative Party. Kemi, as is so often the case, says it clearest: ‘Government doesn’t create growth, businesses and hardworking people do.’

Indeed, that’s why our fundraising is outperforming our current polling. It’s the ambitious, the aspirational, the hardworking, and the entrepreneurial that are believing in Badenoch. They see a party determined to shrink the state, cut taxes, and deliver for working families. They see a leader unafraid to make difficult choices on issues such as the two-child benefit cap, choosing sound economics over soundbites. They see a team doing the hard graft – reaching out to local associations, sharpening our policy offer and rebuilding trust after the recent difficult elections.

Contrast that with the Labour machine, still fed by union coffers, or the Reform Party’s headline-grabbing pledges backed by well-heeled names who never quite deliver. Our donor base is broader, deeper and more robust – made up of small supporters adding up to serious sums, alongside major supporters who want a credible government-in-waiting. It’s the kind of coalition the other parties envy. This is what Conservatism is all about – a true coalition of those who want a better life.

There’s something electrifying about seeing real-time evidence that our revival is taking hold. Every conversation between campaign teams and prospective donors reminds me that belief isn’t built overnight—it’s earned. That’s why, over the next few months, you’ll hear more from us on policy development: from practical plans to boost productivity, to measures that help individuals juggle the cost of living without stifling aspiration and discouraging hard work. We’ll be touring businesses, meeting innovators, and listening to families—because demonstrating genuine progress means showing how policy translates into a better life and new opportunities across Britain.

As a ConHome aficionado you will also know that donors – of all sizes, don’t like to waste their money – we must practice what we preach. That’s why in recent months CCHQ has been streamlined, with a realigned focus on campaigning and digital output.

We have moved from the age of literacy to the age of oracy. You don’t now say to someone ‘did you read?’ you say, ‘did you see?’ Social media is now one of the most important ways of influencing people’s voting intentions as we saw from Robert Jenrick’s powerful tube station intervention. But the move from leaflets into the digital age is a complex process of culture change and technical superiority and when asked – ‘why do I need all this money?’ – my answer is simple – digital capability, training, promulgation and projection. That is how we will win. Don’t forget to follow me on LinkedIn by the way – @lorddominicjohnson – everyone needs their own cohort!

I went down to the Party archives in Oxford a few months ago and was struck by one thing – that over the last 175 years of our history we had been down and out about four times. Each and every time we had come back by ‘re-inventing’ ourselves as a mass movement for mass prosperity. Effectively focussing on individual aspiration to be both responsible as well as achieve our ambitions. It’s called freedom and yes, freedom is all about the economy.

This is why I meet for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner (never trust a thin co-chairman) to garner funds from so many wonderful and brilliant people – so that I can take this message out to the country.

Let’s not be naive, politics, democracy and freedom is not free.

I’m confident, but I’m not complacent. I recognise that we are at the start of a long road. Restoring confidence after a defeat of historic proportions is no small feat. But momentum matters, and these numbers are proof that the Conservative renewal is under way. Smart people are backing Kemi and our Party – this is tangible proof that the long road of recovery is starting to spread out ahead of us.

To every individual who’s backed us thus far, thank you. To those thinking about supporting us – it’s time to step up to the plate and join in.

We need to now take our message out into the country and to do that we need your help!