Boris Johnson smashes record for most money raised by UK politician

LONDON: Boris Johnson has broken the record for the most money raised by a British politician in his bid to become prime minister, winning the backing of eurosceptic financiers after hardening his Brexit stance with a “do or die” pledge.

Financiers and businessmen who funded the campaign to leave the European Union are among the donors who have poured hundreds of thousands of pounds into Johnson’s campaign.

In the last two weeks, Johnson has registered £200,000 ($248,400, Dh914,460) in donations, taking the total amount he has received in the last year to £702,000, according to new figures released by parliament on Wednesday.

This has helped Johnson surpass the previous fund-raising record set by the former foreign minister David Miliband who raised £627,000 for his bid to lead the Labour Party in 2010.