article: Union barons handed Ed Miliband more than £1.6million in the first week of the election campaign – treble the donations received by the Tories. Figures released by the Electoral Commission revealed that Labour received £1.9million in the week to April 5, with 84 per cent coming from just three trade unions. It included a £1million cheque from Unite, entrenching Labour’s reliance on the union’s militant boss Len McCluskey. Ed Miliband received  £1.6m from union barons in the first week of the election campaign, figures have revealed . Conservative donations totalled just over £500,000 in the first week of the campaign, with about a quarter coming from donors with links to hedge funds. Critics have accused Labour of being bound by its union paymasters after the party unveiled policies including raising corporation tax, introducing a mansion tax, repealing the benefits cap, nationalising the railways and scrapping employment tribunal fees. Since Mr Miliband became party leader, thanks largely to union backing, nearly £7 in every £10 donated to Labour has come from the unions – amounting to more than £40million. In the first round of election donations registered, £506,240 was given by Unison, while the CWU gave £51,072. Labour received a £1million cheque from Unite, entrenching Labour’s reliance on the union’s militant boss Len McCluskey (pictured) The party did attract one large business donation, from property tycoon Sir David Garrard. The former tax exile, who was involved in the cash-for-honours controversy, gave £250,000. Ukip received only £35,416 in the period but last night its coffers were boosted by a £1million donation from Daily Express owner Richard Desmond, who gave £300,000 last year. In the week to April 5, the Conservatives received £501,850 and the Lib Dems £20,000. One of the most generous gifts to the Tories – £75,000 – came from Michael Tory, who was in charge of Lehman Brothers’ UK investment banking division when the bank nearly crashed the West’s economy. Sawsan Asfari, wife of long-time Tory donor and oil executive Ayman Asfari, gave £20,000. Syrian-born Mr Asfari, who has given the Tories about £400,000, was made a ‘business ambassador’ by David Cameron last year. Home insurance boss Richard Harpin of Homeserve gave £50,000. His company was fined £30million last year for a mis-selling scandal. Hedge fund manager, James Diner, who once dated model Caprice, gave £25,000 while socialite Fitriani Hay, who co-owns property development firm JMP Group with her racehorse-owning husband James, donated £66,850. Ukip received £25,000 from Robin Birley, who is also bankrolling Tory chief whip Michael Gove’s re-election campaign. Nick Clegg’s friend Anthony Ullmann, boss of polyester yarn company Autofil, and Joseph Zammit-Lucia, who describes himself as a ‘compulsive contrarian’ on his website, each gave £10,000 to the Lib Dems. Tory candidate Henry Smith said: ‘The union fatcats have once again lavished the dosh on Ed Miliband. That’s because they know he’s a weak leader who’ll dance to more than one tune: not only SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon’s, but their’s too. Those tunes mean more spending, more borrowing and Britain back to bankruptcy.’ Conservative donations totalled just over £500,000 in the first week of the campaign, with about a quarter coming from donors with links to hedge funds . David Cameron and Ed Miliband are indulging in fantasy economics, the TaxPayers’ Alliance claimed. It said both parties were making unrealistic spending pledges to win votes. The think-tank’s Jonathan Isaby said: ‘It’s clear that nobody is facing up to the true scale of the deficit reduction challenge. 'It is a fantasy to pretend that you can balance Britain’s books without significant spending reductions, and politicians must come clean about what they will be. Voters deserve real honesty.’
highlights: Labour received £1.9million in week to April 5, new figures have revealed .
  Three trade unions contributed 84 per cent, including £1million  from Unite .
  Conservative donations totalled over £500,000 in first week of campaign .
  Critics say Labour is being bound by union paymasters after manifesto .
prediction: by 
   Tories 
   Commission 
   9million in 
   to April 5 
   84 per cent 
   three trade unions 
   included 
   s 
   on 
   boss Len McCluskey 
   Ed Miliband received 
   £ 1 . 6m from union barons in the first week of the election campaign, 
   have 
   . 
   donations totalled just over 
   500 
   000 
   to Labour 
   . Labour received a £ 1million cheque from Unite, 
  