Conservative Party donor paid for Portsmouth MP Penny Mordaunt to perform personal magic show

Ms Mordaunt, who represents Portsmouth North, is due to give a personal magic show to telecoms millionaire Mohamed Amersi, The Sunday Times reported.

The national newspaper said Mr Amersi had paid £100,000 for a breakfast with prime minister Boris Johnson, and £15,000 for lunch with former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt - and a magic show from Ms Mordaunt.

The MP worked as a magician’s assistant for the president of the Portsmouth Magic Circle to pay her way through university.

The show has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was organised through Quintessentially, run by the Tory co-chairman Ben Elliott.

Labour’s Portsmouth North candidate Amanda Martin said: ‘This Conservative government seems to be more interested in running a circus than our country.

“This is yet another example of the Tory party blurring the line between the government and a pleasure club for the ultra-rich.

‘There are serious questions about who benefits from this shady enterprise, it certainly isn’t the people of Portsmouth.’

A Tory party spokesman told the Sunday Times that all donations were declared to the Electoral Commission.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to our online coverage, including Pompey, with 70 per cent fewer adverts for less than 20p a day.