Kemi Badenoch is preparing to reinstate a high-value donor advisory board at the Conservative Party. The board is expected to provide major contributors with structured access to senior party figures including the leader and shadow cabinet. The advisory board was originally disbanded in 2021 following controversy over “cash for access”. Sources familiar with the board’s revival say the new version would operate in a different form but serve a similar purpose: engaging large donors and offering them influence on policy direction. Fundraising has become a priority for the Conservative leadership amid competitive pressure from rival parties. The party has reported raising £8.4 million in donations so far this year, outstripping its main rivals. Party documentation shows that within donor tiers there already exist privileged access levels such as the “Leader’s Group”, which gives top donors access to the leader and senior figures. The revived board is expected to sit on top of those existi...