A copy of the article 50 bill apparently signed by Theresa May is to be auctioned off at a Conservative party fundraising event.
The Guardian has seen emails showing that a signed copy of the European Union (notification of withdrawal) bill, which MPs voted on this week, was acquired by a Westminster councillor for an auction at the inaugural Regent’s Dinner, organised by the West End ward Conservatives.
Amber Rudd, the home secretary, will be speaking at the event, for which tickets cost a minimum of £85. It is not known whether she is aware of the auction prize.
The West End ward chairman, Michael Case, who is also deputy chair of the Cities of London and Westminster Conservative Association, refused to confirm or deny whether the emails were accurate, saying it was a “private event”. A spokesperson for May also refused to comment and would not be drawn on the existence of the autographed bill.
But in an email promoting the event, which was leaked to the Guardian, Case wrote about a “fantastic prize” that had been acquired by a Tory councillor, Paul Church. The email read: “Paul has managed to secure us a copy of the European Union notification of withdrawal bill (aka the article 50 bill) signed by the prime minister, Theresa May, herself!”
It continued: “A huge thanks to Cllr Church on behalf of the committee for getting such a topical piece of unique political memorabilia for us to auction.”
A previous email detailing other prizes on offer, including a magnum of Veuve Cliquot champagne and lobster and frites with prosecco at a top West End restaurant, stated: “Cllr Church is working on a rather special auction prize … watch this space!”
John Pugh MP, a Liberal Democrat, said: “Considering how hard the Tory former prime minister fought for the remain campaign, this, quite frankly, is a grubby little fundraising tool. Theresa May used to be believe that we are safer as part of the European Union and now she is autographing copies of the article 50 bill. It’s pretty shameless.”
Patrick Lilley, chair of the Cities of London and Westminster Labour party and the West End Labour action team, said auctioning the bill made “a mockery of democracy … It’s totally outrageous that the Tories are using government papers for party political purposes. There’s no defence for this – the office of government is there to serve the public, not to further rightwing Tory political agendas.
“Instead of enjoying silver service with Westminster’s champagne-swigging local Tories in the West End, Amber Rudd should be sorting out her department, [which] is in permanent crisis.
“It could take 140 years to register all 3 million EU citizens in Britain [at current rates of processing] after Brexit. Instead, our home secretary is like some modern-day Marie Antoinette who will catch a glimpse of the hundreds of poverty-stricken homeless on the streets of the West End as she dashes from her limousine to meet her £500-a-ticket VIP guests.”
Lilley said the local Tories were “gutting Westminster’s youth clubs, including one not far from the actual scene of a tragic fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy. Westminster local Tories should donate all funds raised to youth services in the City of Westminster.”
Tickets for the dinner, at a London venue yet to be announced, but which has a capacity of 150, are £85 per person, although a limited number of premium tickets were being sold at £500 each.
