article_snippet: Hugo Swire hosted an auction at the dinner at which donors bid for high-value items – and suggested even those living on welfare could afford to pay £60,000.
article_snippet: The footage provides the first public view inside the Ball at the Grosvenor House Hotel – for which donors have paid between £500 and £1,500 a ticket.
article_snippet: The final bids for the auction items and who bought the auction items is not made public after the dinner, although all donations over £7,500 are properly declared to the Electoral Commission.
article_snippet: Subaskaran Allirajah, the founder of the telephone company Lyca Mobile who sat at a table with treasury minister David Gauke, bid £210,000 for a small bronze statue of Margaret Thatcher.
article_snippet: But I think it’s about that feeling, if I make reasonable donations, I’m in a special club who’ve got access to leaders and that might be extremely useful as far as my business is concerned in the future.
article_snippet: ’s annual conference in Manchester, and was invited to a £350-a-head donors’ dinner for free.
highlights_snippet: Hugo Swire hosted an auction for donors to bid for high-value items .
  