Standards in Public Life

Rich Tories, for a change:

The Conservatives today revealed the names of 13 wealthy backers who had lent the party nearly £16m - but repaid a further £5m in order to preserve the anonymity of other lenders...

Among the 13 listed, the biggest lenders are former party treasurer and deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft (£3.6m) and Scottish philanthropist Lord Laidlaw (£3.5m).

How the hell can anyone who gives £3.5m to the Tory Party still be described, straight-faced, as a "philanthropist"? "Misanthropist", possibly.