Campaigns for Britain to leave EU get biggest donations: watchdog

[LONDON] Campaigns for Britain to leave the European Union in a referendum next month received 8.2 million pounds (S$16.14 million) in donations, more than the funding received by the "In" campaign over 81 days.

The Electoral Commission said in a statement that a group called Leave.EU, which is not the official lead campaign for Britain to exit the EU, received the biggest donation of 3.2 million pounds, from a founder of investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, Peter Hargreaves.

The official "In" campaign received two donations from businessman David Sainsbury amounting to more than 2 million pounds.

The election watchdog was recording donations from Feb 1 until April 21.

REUTERS