Ben Elliot: Conservative Party money man with A-list connections

He's the well-connected businessman with impeccable establishment credentials and links to the Royal Family.

But Conservative Party co-chair Ben Elliot has now found himself at the centre of a controversy about the secretive world of Tory donor clubs.

The 45-year-old has been co-chairman of the Conservative Party since July 2019 - a role he was given by Boris Johnson soon after he entered Downing Street.

The nephew of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Mr Elliot is a supreme networker, which is one of the reasons Mr Johnson made him the Tory party's money man.

He is a regular fixture at charity events and openings, where he has been pictured alongside celebrities, ranging from actor Benedict Cumberbatch to former cricketer Lord Botham.

Like the prime minister, Mr Elliot went to Eton but then made a fortune in business after graduating from Bristol University, co-founding a company called Quintessentially 20 years ago.

Quintessentially helps provide its well-heeled clients with all the trappings of a luxury lifestyle - from yacht hire and holiday booking to private concerts with pop stars.

The firm, where Mr Elliot remains as a director, also offers a range of concierge services to wealthy clients.

Mr Elliot was at Eton alongside fellow pupil Zac (now Lord) Goldsmith, a close friend who asked him to join his campaign to become London mayor in 2016.

Acting as campaign treasurer, the role gave Mr Elliot his first introduction to the world of political fundraising.

It was experience he has put to good use as the Tories' chief fundraiser, with the party raising £37.6m in large donations in the final three months of 2019, ahead of its landslide victory at that December's election.

But now his fund-raising methods are under scrutiny.

The Financial Times has revealed Mr Elliot's role arranging access for the Conservative Party's biggest donors to the prime minister and chancellor through a group known as the "advisory board".

There is no mention of the board on the party's website, and questions to the Conservatives about its membership and how much donors have to pay to join remain unanswered.

But one Tory donor, Mohamed Amersi, has said membership of the advisory board costs £250,000 a year, a figure that has not been disputed by Conservative HQ.

There is nothing new about political parties having tiers of membership, with access to events and leading figures depending on how much donors are prepared to pay.

But the Tory party is particularly secretive about its various clubs and the access they buy.

The party has insisted donors do not influence government policy, and donations are properly declared to the UK's elections watchdog.

It's understood the advisory board was set up under former Prime Minister Theresa May, pre-dating Mr Elliot's appointment in July 2019.

But his role raising money for the party while juggling his business interests has put him in the spotlight.

For instance, The Times has reported Quintessentially helped its clients buy Covid tests from private healthcare providers at the start of the pandemic.

The story followed another, in the Sunday Times, about the company's role in arranging a dinner between one of its clients, telecoms businessman Mohamed Amersi, and Prince Charles in 2013.

Mr Amersi, who was not a Conservative donor at the time but would go on to give thousands to the party, told the newspaper it would not have been easy for him to meet the prince "if it wasn't for Ben Elliot".

A spokesman for Mr Elliot told the newspaper he had wanted to help the Prince's work for charitable causes - and he did not raise money from Quintessentially members in his role as Conservative co-chairman.

The world of charity is an area where the two men share an interest.

Mr Elliot's charity, the Quintessentially Foundation, has raised money for various causes since it was founded in 2013.

The foundation has previously collaborated with animal charity the Elephant Family, where Mr Elliot is a patron and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are joint "royal presidents".

However, it is his role at Quintessentially that has prompted questions over the relationship between his political and business interests.

In fresh revelations on Thursday, the Times has reported that he has used his Quintessentially email address for party business.

A spokesman told the paper he has "primarily" used his company email for more than two decades, instead of having multiple inboxes.

He added that neither Quintessentially, nor any other firm in which Mr Elliot holds an interest or shareholding in, provides services to the Conservatives.

The Financial Times has reported more recently that Mr Elliot discussed with foreign ambassadors Mr Amersi's plans to set up a Conservative-Middle East liaison group - but did not disclose that Mr Amersi was a paying client.

Labour has said the prime minister should sack Mr Elliot and called for more transparency about the access big Tory donors are getting.