Mail: Billionaire Tory donor pulls plug on Cameron over equal marriage
Billionaire hedge fund tycoon Sir Michael Hintze has reportedly called time on his donations to the Conservative Party because of David Cameron’s decision to legalise equal marriage in England and Wales.
The Mail reports Sir Michael, who loaned £2.5 million, is said to want his money back ahead of the 2015 general election.
“Michael is fed up with David Cameron and George Osborne and doesn’t see why he should prop up the party any longer,” a Tory insider told the paper.
“He is deeply upset with the party’s promotion of gay marriage; it grates with his Catholicism. And as a tax-cutting free marketeer, he’d hoped to see a more radical economic agenda.”
The 60-year-old, who founded the £12.6 billion CQS fund, is also said to be angry that apparently Downing Street tried to block his knighthood last year.
His donations to the Tories total £1.4 million over the past decade, in addition to the £2.5million loans.
The Australian was knighted in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to the arts.
It’s said relations between Sir Michael and No 10 cooled in 2011 after he was drawn into the row that led to Liam Fox’s resignation as defence secretary.
Sir Michael provided a free desk at his London offices to Adam Werritty, a close friend and associate of Mr Fox, as part of his £29,000 donation to the senior Tory MP’s charity Atlantic Bridge, which promotes political ties between Britain and the US.
The last donation made by Sir Michael was in October last year.
