A HOTEL tycoon and previously discontented Tory donor, Sir Rocco Forte, has made a £10,000 donation to the Conservative Party through their Wycombe branch, which is his first contribution to the party since 2019, according to Electoral Commission data.

Known for his outspoken support of Brexit and past financial backing of Boris Johnson’s election, Sir Rocco had previously separated himself from the party, voicing frustration at its handling of Brexit.

The donation appears to have been made in support of Steve Baker, the MP for Wycombe and a staunch campaigner for Brexit.

Steve Baker MP said: "I’m grateful to those public spirited souls who know the dangers of a Labour government and are supporting my campaign in Wycombe. I’m proud of them and grateful for their help.”

Despite this, Baker, currently serving as a Northern Ireland minister, issued an apology last year to both Ireland and Brussels for his conduct and that of some colleagues post-Brexit.

When Sir Rocco was asked by The Guardian newspaper about his u-turn to support Steve Baker, he indicated he intends to 'back individual Tories whose views echo his own.'

Earlier in the year, Forte had announced a decision to cease further donations to the Tories, criticising the party's lack of traditional conservative policies and its perpetuation of the social democratic strategies of the last 15 years—policies he claimed failed to stimulate significant economic growth.