The Northumberland businessman who donated 10k to Teesside MP

A Northumberland businessman has donated £10,000 to a Teesside Tory MP.

Middlesbrough^[1] South and East Cleveland MP Simon Clarke received £10k in February this year from Gary Lydiate, chief executive of de-icing company Kilfrost. The cash was declared days later in line with the rules around donations.

It’s not the first time Mr Lydiate has donated to MPs. He gave Mr Clarke £8k in 2021 and £11k, across two donations, in 2019.

Mr Lydiate also donated £2.5k to Conservative Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison in October 2019 less than two months before the general election. He has also given tens of thousands of pounds to the Conservative Party^[3] since 2019.

In the last twelve months, Mr Clarke has also received £5k from businessman Alexander Temerko, £5k from Zac Goldsmith and £2.5k from London-based property developer Marc Pennick.

Kilfrost is based in Haltwhistle, Northumberland and has been family-owned for three generations. The de-icing company started out in the 1930s when it developed the first fluids to protect aircraft.

Mr Clarke and My Lydiate declined to comment.

References

1. ^{^} Middlesbrough (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Review: Arctic Monkeys get the Riverside Stadium rocking as band host electric night to remember (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Conservative Party (www.gazettelive.co.uk)