More than 40 wealthy Tory donors paid almost half a million pounds to attend a virtual 'Tory Summer Party' with Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak on Zoom.
Bankers, businessmen and wealthy socialites are normally able to rub shoulders and share tables with senior ministers at the annual bash.
But last year's Covid-19 restrictions meant gatherings of more than 30 people were banned.
Instead, donors including Lord Ashcroft swelled party coffers by paying almost £10,000 each for a virtual "table” at online bash, which took place on the evening of 16 July.
The costly ticket entitled the donor’s family to join in with the Zoom call, and each ticket holder was reportedly sent a hamper of wine, cheese and chutney to get the party started.
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak was said to be “buoyant” during the costly conference call. The Telegraph reported a source saying: “The Prime Minister has got his energy back. He is definitely on the front foot.
“They were in a great mood and there was plenty of banter. It was a pleasant catch-up. It was like a summer party.”
Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner said: "Events like these makes proper Government transparency even more crucial - if there's nothing to hide, the Conservative Party should be far more open."
The guest list also included Peter Cruddas, who quit as Tory Treasurer following a 2012 court case which followed Mr Cruddas being filmed talking about donations in a Sunday Times newspaper sting.
A transcript of the 2012 sting published by the Court of Appeal, says Mr Cruddas made a "clear indication" that a "premier league" donation of £250,000 to the Tories could get a donor into a dinner with then-PM
David Cameron.
Mr Cruddas added: "You will be able to ask him practically any question that you want".
The Electoral Commission found in 2012 there was 'no evidence' any rules had been broken, and Mr Cruddas won £180,000 in damages from the Sunday Times in 2013 after he won a High Court claim for libel and
malicious falsehood.
Those damages were however reduced to £50,000 when one part of the ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2015.
The Appeal Court said the alleged meaning that "in return for cash donations to the Conservative Party, the Claimant [Mr Cruddas] corruptly offered for sale the opportunity to influence government policy and gain unfair advantage through secret meetings with the
Prime Minister and other senior ministers" was "substantially true".
Lord Justice Jackson wrote in the ruling: "Mr Cruddas was effectively saying to the journalists that if they donated large sums to the Conservative Party, they would have an opportunity to influence Government policy and to gain unfair commercial advantage through confidential meetings with the Prime Minister and other senior ministers.
"That was unacceptable, inappropriate and wrong."
Mr Cruddas, who founded CMC Markets, has also given more than £3.5m to the Conservatives and £1.5m to the Vote Leave campaign, which he co-founded.
He personally donated £50,000 to Mr Johnson’s leadership campaign in 2019.
The spread betting tycoon was ranked 264 in the latest Sunday Times Rich List with his family being estimated as having wealth totalling £509 million.
Months after attending the bash, he was made Lord Cruddas against the advice of the Lords Appointments Commission.
But Mr Johnson overruled the Committee's decision, saying many of the "most serious" allegations had been "found untrue".
And he said an internal Conservative Party investigation had cleared Mr Cruddas of any intentional wrongdoing.
Rosemary Said, the wife of Wafic Said who helped broker Britain's biggest arms sale – the Al-Yamamah deal, also paid for a "table".
And Joseph Bamford, the grandson of JCB boss Lord Bamford - a longtime Tory backer - also purchased a ticket.
Some 43 individuals and companies paid £9,854 to take part in the zoom call, netting the Tories a total of £423,722, according to Electoral Commission figures.
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Donations to the Conservative party are properly and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission, published by them, and comply fully with the law.”
The day after the Summer Party, Boris Johnson announced he was easing lockdown measures, and promised a "significant return to normality by Christmas".
The previous year’s lavish Tory Summer Party was held at the Hurlingham Club, an exclusive members-only club set in 42 acres of grounds in Fulham, Southwest London.
