Swindon’s two Conservative MPs say donations made to them by supporters are completely legitimate.

Sky News and Tortoise Media have conducted a survey of all the donations and extra-parliamentary income declared by every one of the UK’s 650 MPs.

And Sir Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson say theirs have all been declared as they must, are within the rules of political donations and are for campaigning costs and are not used as personal income.

South Swindon MP Sir Robert has declared in the last three years donations and extra income worth more than £36,000.

The majority of that figure came in the form of political donations. A breakdown of the £24,000 donated is:  £10,000 in donations from Whitechurch Securities; £7,000 from Geoff Mansfield; £2,500  donations from The Red House (Ashtead); £2,500 in donations from The United & Cecil Club and £2,000 from IPGL.

Sir Robert also declared earnings totalling £11, 830 for work for Chamber U.K. Services; The  Telegraph, Ipsos MORI, News UK, the BBC, political journalist and broadcaster Iain Dale and BSV Claims

In addition there were £600 in gifts or benefits from FTI Consulting LLP.

In North Swindon Mr Tomlinson has, since December 2019, received just two donations, totalling £8,000. One is a donation worth £5,000 from Datalibrium, the other worth £3,000 from Jez Webb.

Sir Robert expressed mild dismay at what he saw as sensationalist reporting on legitimate donations and properly declared earnings.

He said: “It’s a bit frustrating that  Sky and Tortoise haven’t really done this properly. Everything has been declared properly, and everything is totally legitimate

“None of these donations are income , they were donations to the local Conservative Association and used for campaigning. There are spending limits so not all of it was used – but that’s what the donations were for.

“I was a minister for most of the time form 2014 until last year and you’re not allowed an income outside your ministerial and parliamentary salaries anyway.

“Even if I did a small job like I did a chapter for Iain Dale’s book – then I donated the fee to charity straight away,

“But with the donations I don’t even see the money – it doesn’t ever go into my account.”

Mr Tomlinson said: “While the last Labour government allowed MPs to use taxpayer money to fund campaigning, we rightly scrapped this, so I have to raise all my campaigning costs through local members, fund-raising events and donations from local residents. 

“In the 2019 General Election, both Jez Webb and then Councillor Oliver Donachie kindly supported my campaign.

"I am grateful for those who have helped me represent our local community, something I do with great enthusiasm having one of the highest voting and speaking records and was voted the second most helpful MP out of 650.”