<nettime> Fwd: Who’s *really* backing Boris?

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Dear friend of openDemocracy,

The race to replace Theresa May is on.

Soon we’ll know who’s moving into Number 10. But will we know who’s bankrolled them?

openDemocracy has just revealed that the two frontrunners, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, have received £25,000 each from a prominent climate change sceptic.

Boris is yet to disclose the donation.

We also know that Lynton Crosby’s controversial PR firm is running a vastly expensive pro-Boris campaign – but no one will say who’s picking up the bill.

We’ve got tons of leads to chase down on this story, but not much time. Will you help us keep digging?

Yes, I'll donate to openDemocracy

openDemocracy exposed the tricks that made a mockery of the 2016 Brexit referendum – including the law-breaking by Vote Leave, fronted by Boris.

Now we want citizens to have the facts before the next British prime minister is chosen.

Hunt and Johnson have received over £100,000 in donations – that we know of – in recent weeks, with more set to pour in before the final ballot.

Millionaire hedge-funders, CEOs, and lobbying firms are among those emptying their pockets.

Most of us won’t have a say in who becomes PM, but at the very least we should know who’s funding them.

With your support, we can:

- dig deep on who’s bankrolling all the candidates, so that citizens know who the next PM is leaving the door of Number 10 open to

- uncover who’s funding the secretive, lavish pro-Boris lobbying operation, run by Lynton Crosby’s controversial PR firm

- expose the backroom deals and horse-trading going on behind closed doors

Yes, I'll donate to openDemocracy

This isn’t just about Britain, or Boris. It’s vital that any candidate running for office is transparent about their funding.

Whatever the outcome of the Tory leadership race, fixing the ongoing abuses of our democracy will need committed, forensic investigation over many years.

Our work gets results: prompting law change, criminal investigations – and our investigation into Brexit bankroller Aaron Banks just got nominated for Private Eye’s prestigious Paul Foot journalism prize.

With your regular support, we can strengthen our network of investigative journalists – tracing dark money flows and holding secretive political backers to account, both now and for years to come.

Please give what you can today and together we can uncover the truth about who’s shaping our politics.

Thank you,

Peter Geoghegan,
Investigations Editor, openDemocracyUK

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