Tories accept donation linked to convicted tycoon

The Conservatives took an election campaign donation from a property firm part-owned by one of the UK’s richest men just days after he was convicted by a Swiss court for exploiting domestic staff.

The party received £50,000 from Westminster Development Services Limited, which was established in 2015 by a consortium of investors led by the Hinduja Group.

Company records show the firm is part-owned by Prakash Hinduja’s AMC Project Services Limited.

The donation was received on 1 July, just 10 days after Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal were found guilty of exploitation and illegal employment by a Swiss court and sentenced to four years and six months in prison.

The couple immediately appealed the verdict.

They were acquitted of the more serious charge of human trafficking and did not attend court proceedings, pleading ill health.

Their lawyers said they would appeal.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "Donations to the Conservative Party are properly and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission, openly published by them, and comply fully with the law".

Westminster Development Services is best known for redeveloping the site of the former Old War Office building on Whitehall as a Raffles hotel complex.

Westminster Development Services Limited has declined to comment.

The Hinduja family’s legal counsel said in a statement: “Our clients the Hinduja family have been acquitted of all human trafficking charges. The family denies all other charges against them.

Clarification 18th September: This article has been amended to remove the word “jailed” when referring to Prakash and Kamal Hinduja’s sentence, because they have not been imprisoned while they appeal the verdict. We have also added a statement from the family in response.