Theresa May flies back to London amid crucial Brexit negotiations to attend lavish Tory ball with millionaire donors

PM and her cabinet colleagues criticised for ‘hobnobbing with super rich donors’

Theresa May and her ministers are under fire for attending a lavish Conservative donor ball amid the on-going deadlock over Britain’s exit from the EU.

The prime minister, who today arrived in Brussels in an attempt to renegotiate her Brexit deal, dashed backed from Northern Ireland on Wednesday evening to join senior Tories at the party’s annual Black and White Ball fundraiser.

Cabinet ministers in attendance included the Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, the environment secretary Michael Gove, the Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, and the health secretary Matt Hancock.

May arrives at Battersea Park in London for the annual Black and White Ball, a fundraiser held by the Conservative Party (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)

With just 50 days until Britain is set to leave the bloc, Ian Lavery, the chair of the Labour Party, said: “It’s unbelievable that rather focusing on sorting out the mess she and her party have made of Brexit, the prime minister appears to have jetted back to spend a lavish evening with super rich donors.

“The Tories need to rethink their priorities and start acting in the public’s interest instead of just their party’s.”

He continued: “Tory ministers live on a different planet. While they are busy hobnobbing with super rich donors at a lavish party, our public services are in crisis, people’s pay is being squeezed and councils are at breaking point.”

Joining cabinet ministers and senior Tories on Thursday evening at the Battersea Evolution venue in south London, the reality television star and I’m A Celebrity winner Georgia Toffolo also made an appearance.

According to The Mirror, Brandon Lewis, the chairman of the Conservative Party, joked in his speech to guests: “Whatever you bid at the auction it is less than you’ll pay in tax under Corbyn.”

Scores of taxis and private cars, many with blacked-out back windows, dropped people off at the function amid a heavy police presence.

In the past, rich supporters have spent tens of thousands of pounds to win time with the great and the good of the party at the annual fundraising event. Past prizes have included shoe shopping with Ms May and tennis with Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

In the past, tickets on tables with Cabinet ministers have cost up to £1,500, while tickets on tables with a minister cost £1,000, and standard tables were £500 a place.