Home Bargains billionaire backs Labour with £5,000 donation

Luke Barr
Sat, 21 October 2023 


The billionaire founder of Home Bargains has become the latest high-profile businessman to back Labour ahead of the next election.

T J Morris, which owns Home Bargains and is run by Liverpudlian Tom Morris, recently donated £5,000 to Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

Mr Morris, 69, joins former supermarket chairman Baron David Sainsbury and ex-Autoglass chief Gary Lubner on the growing list of business leaders to have backed Labour in recent months.

Last month, The Telegraph revealed that long-time Tory donor Lord Harris of Peckham had also donated £5,000 to Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

It follows a high-profile charm offensive of business leaders by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves.

T J Morris donated £5,000 to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Through his retail empire, Mr Morris has amassed a reported personal fortune of more than £6bn, making him one of Labour’s wealthiest donors.

T J Morris donated £5,000 to Mr Streeting last month, parliamentary filings show.

A Labour spokesman said: “Wes is proud to have the support of successful business people like Tom.

“The Labour Party is winning business support with our plans to get British business booming, the economy growing, and the NHS fit for the future. Business leaders know it’s time for a change and they’re backing Labour to give Britain its future back.”

Labour is winning the support and funding of business leaders as public opinion swings behind the opposition. Last week the Tories suffered historic twin defeats in by-elections in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire, with both formerly safe seats falling to Labour.

Mr Morris launched Home Bargains as a market stall in 1976, fuelling its early expansion through a personal overdraft.

The chain now operates almost 600 shops across the country and is Britain’s largest independent grocer. It employs 28,000 workers and had revenues of £3.42bn in 2022.

Earlier this year, Mr Morris was handed more than £20m in dividends from Home Bargains despite company profits falling 26pc to £290m.

Mr Morris previously gave £10,000 to Labour’s Steve Rotheram in 2017 as part of his successful bid to become Liverpool’s metro mayor.

He was scrutinised last year for failing to repay taxpayer support that Home Bargains received during the pandemic.

Home Bargains declined to comment.