Guest list for local activists' party

THE FUND-RAISING party in late 1992 for Huntingdon Tories, hosted by Gordon and Henrietta McNally, saw local party activists rubbing shoulders with company chairmen and influential Conservatives.

A copy of the guest list has been obtained by the Independent. Those present included: Baroness Blatch, education minister; 11 Huntingdon Conservatives and their partners; Donald Stewart, the Tory agent for the Westminster constituency; Barry Simmons, a public affairs adviser who has worked closely with the Prime Minister and the Tories in Huntingdon; Cedric Brown, chairman of British Gas, and Peter Sanguinetti, the company's public relations chief; Sir Geoffrey Leigh of Allied London Properties, and senior executives from BAA, Cathay Pacific Airways and Iveco Ford.

Mr and Mrs Major mingled with guests for two hours before returning to Downing Street. One of those present, Sara Gifford from Huntingdon, described it as 'a fund-raising event, to do with Huntingdon people'. She said a similar gathering had taken place towards the end of last year at 10 Downing Street.

Another guest, C Bridge, a Huntingdon councillor, said: 'It was a cocktail party for our sponsors.' He did not know who had organised the event and or why it was held so far away from Huntingdon. Mr Bridge said he had never met Mr McNally until that evening.