Tory summer party auctions a photo of the Cabinet – for £200,000

Despite the government planning £12bn worth of welfare cuts, it’s still a case of no expense spared when it comes to Tory parties. Last night the Conservative Party Summer Party was held at the Hurlingham. The lavish bash saw the Tories celebrate their return to government with their rich donors, who in turn volunteered hundreds of thousands of pounds for a number of lots, including a copy of the EdStone:

Although the event was supposed to be private, Mr S’s colleague Fraser Nelson was on hand to report back on the lavish bash. He writes about the do in his diary in the forthcoming issue of The Spectator:

‘Mind you, nothing much embarrasses the Conservatives nowadays. They held a spectacularly glitzy fundraising dinner on Tuesday night with an austerity-free auction. Lot 1 was a week at a private Jamaican villa for 17 of your closest friends. Lot 3: drinks for 100 at the London Cabaret Club. Lot 5: a day in Tunsmore Park (“You will be given the chance to shoot an array of birds”).