UK: OGN Donates Big Money to Conservative Party

Offshore Group Newcastle (OGN) has donated a large amount of money to the UK’s Conservative Party, the Mirror writes.

As the company received a vote of confidence for a grant of GBP 4.5 million from the Regional Growth Fund, Kevan Jones from the British Labour Party is wondering does the company really need this funding, if it can donate thousands of pounds to the Tories.

OGN was approved last year for the grant from the Regional Growth Fund as part of the total GBP 50 million-worth investment in the new plant producing steel foundations for offshore wind turbine generators to be developed at their Hadrian Yard site in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear.

In the meantime, the company has donated almost GBP 127,000 to the Conservative Party. What is more, one of the OGN’s directors, who is a member of the exclusive Leader’s Group of Tory donors, also gave them GBP 171,000, according to the Mirror. The said membership requires paying at least GBP 50,000 a year to have dinner with top Cabinet ministers.

OGN commented on this allegation by saying that the donations and the grant have nothing to do with each other.

[mappress]

Offshore WIND Staff, August 16, 2013; Image: Energi Coast