3 July 2024, 14:37 | Updated: 3 July 2024, 20:12
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Andrew Tate’s brother, Tristan, is one of George Galloway’s biggest financial supporters and has made large donations to his political campaign, LBC can exclusively reveal.
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George Galloway, 69, is hoping to secure re-election in Rochdale after his dramatic by-election win back in February.
The Workers Party leader, who has represented four different constituencies in Parliament since 1987, accepted £5,000 in two different instalments from Tristan Tate just days after a snap General Election was called in May.
One donation of £3,000 and another of £2,000 were made just minutes apart at 12:25am and 12:27am on Sunday, June 2.
Tristan, 35, describes himself as a kickboxer and businessman. He has over 3 million followers on X, and over 2.1 million on Instagram.
Andrew is a self-proclaimed “misogynist” who is facing trial – alongside his brother – in Romania.
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- Join LBC for Britain Decides our election night coverage, starting Thursday at 10pm. Our flagship program will be led by Andrew Marr and Shelagh Fogarty, with The News Agents’ Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall providing expert analysis as results unfold. This comprehensive seven-hour show will be broadcast live on LBC, Global Player, TikTok, and YouTube, with a simulcast on LBC News. Stay tuned for real-time updates and insightful commentary throughout this pivotal night in British politics.
The pair are facing allegations of human trafficking and forming an organised crime group, which the two brothers “unequivocally deny”, dating back to 2012 and 2015.
Four women also allege that the Tate brothers raped and assaulted them and are seeking damages – allegations which they also deny.
Recently a request to extradite the pair back to the UK was granted by a court in Romania.
They are both wanted separately in the UK to face allegations of sexual assault – which they also deny.
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The donations have not been registered to the Electoral Commission as they have been submitted via a Crowdfunding site and do not exceed the threshold of £11,180 for an individual donation to a political party.
Usually, a donation to a specific candidate would have to be declared if it exceeds £2,230, but while the Crowdfunder is called George Galloway for Rochdale, it makes clear that “all donations will go to the Workers Party of Britain to help our campaigning”.
Dr Sam Power, a senior lecturer in Politics at the University of Sussex – who specialises in campaign finance issues – told LBC “the slightly confusing situation with George Galloway’s Crowdfunder is it looks from the title as a candidate Crowdfunder, but the small print makes out it is a party donation.”
The Crowdfunding site also lists Mike Barson, the Keyboard player and founding member of the group Madness, as having donated £100 to the campaign.
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The news comes alongside Tristan Tate publicly endorsing Reform UK.
In a post on X he wrote “Englishmen watch this video. Vote @reformparty_uk on July 4th”, alongside a video of Tristan Tate donning a cap with a Union flag, alongside his brother Andrew, urging people to be “proud of their country”.
He previously welcomed Mr Galloway’s victory, earlier this year.
In March 2024, he tweeted that voters don’t have to like Mr Galloway’s politics to “understand what his victory means”.
“People in the UK are sick of the establishment. I’d love to see both Labour and the Conservatives win 0 seats.
“Two cheeks of the same a**e” indeed Mr. Galloway.
Tristan Tate and George Galloway have been approached by LBC for comment.
Join LBC for Britain Decides our election night coverage, starting Thursday at 10pm. Our flagship program will be led by Andrew Marr and Shelagh Fogarty, with The News Agents’ Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall providing expert analysis as results unfold. This comprehensive seven-hour show will be broadcast live on LBC, Global Player, TikTok, and YouTube, with a simulcast on LBC News. Stay tuned for real-time updates and insightful commentary throughout this pivotal night in British politics.
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