"The Staffordshire-based heavy machinery manufacturer said it had donated to both the Tories and Reform because it wanted to support parties that believe in small business. JCB is the world's third-largest construction equipment company, with 22 plants on four continents, employing 19,000 people worldwide, and its sales turnover in 2024 was 5.8bn. Bamford, who retired as a Conservative peer last year, took over the business started by his father in 1975. His family is one of the richest in Britain, with wealth estimated at 9.5bn by the Sunday Times."
"The donation to Reform marks the latest shift by Bamford to build closer connections with Farage's party after funding an 8,000 helicopter trip for the Reform leader last year. JCB was a prominent business exhibitor at Reform's annual conference in Birmingham in September, parking one of its familiar yellow diggers in the hall of the National Exhibition Centre. Reform has previously said that Bamford and Farage are friends."
JCB, owned by billionaire Conservative donor Lord Bamford, donated 200,000 to Nigel Farage's Reform UK and an equal amount to the Conservatives. The company said it backed parties that believe in small business and cited its reliance on roughly 800 UK suppliers, mostly small and medium-sized firms. JCB operates 22 plants across four continents, employs 19,000 people, and recorded 5.8bn in sales turnover in 2024. Bamford retired as a Conservative peer last year and has previously funded travel for Farage and exhibited at Reform events. Several other Conservative donors have also given to Reform.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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