A billionaire hedge fund boss who donated millions of pounds to the Tory Party today took his place in the House of Lords.
Sir Michael Hintze, 69, was appointed to the unelected upper house after being put forward by former PM Boris Johnson.
Figures from the Electoral Commission show that he has donated more than £4.3million to the Tory Party in the past two decades.
In addition he has made a number of contributions worth a combined £90,000 to individual MPs' coffers, including Mr Johnson himself.
The 69-year-old Australian-born businessman - who also made a £100,000 donation to the Vote Leave campaign ahead of the 2016 referendum - will take the title Lord Hintze.
His handouts have included £10,000 to Mr Johnson's local party, while official records show he has personally donated to MPs Liam Fox, David Willets, Brandon Lewis and David Davis.
He also gave £37,500 to the office of former Chancellor George Osborne and £1,200 to support ex-PM Theresa May.
As The Mirror previously reported, in 2017 he was invited to a private dinner for donors with Mrs May.
Sir Michael ate with top Tories as part of the Leader’s Group, a club giving donors access to Cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister if they give the party at least £50,000.
Forty-eight donors attended such meals between April and June 2018.
The finance boss, who founded the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation, wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short introduction ceremony in the upper chamber, where he swore the oath of allegiance to the King.
He was supported by Tory former Lords leader Lord Strathcylde and Labour peer Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws.
The Harvard Business School graduate, who founded the London-based CQS hedge fund group in 1999, is also a trustee of the National Gallery.
His appointment to the House of Lords means Lord Hintze can opt to receive a £323 per day attendance allowance - plus travel expenses and subsidised restaurant facilities
Also taking her seat in the upper house was Fiona Twycross, Deputy Mayor of London for Fire and Resilience.
The Labour peer, who was nominated by party leader Sir Keir Starmer, takes the title Baroness Twycross of Headington.
The 53-year-old, who previously served on the London Assembly, was supported by Labour leader in the Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon and opposition chief whip in the Lords Lord Kennedy of Southwark as she swore the oath of allegiance to the King.
The two members were among 26 new peers announced last month as part of the latest honours list.
