Controversial Conservative donor Lord Ashcroft has said he will quit as the party's deputy chairman following the publication tomorrow of a critical account of the Tory election campaign.
Ashcroft, who pumped millions into the party's campaign in marginal seats, told David Cameron on Friday of his decision to resign at a Tory board meeting next weekend. The announcement ends lingering doubts over Ashcroft's role, following a falling-out with Cameron over campaign tactics in the run-up to the election, when the Tories failed to win an overall majority.
Tensions developed between the Tory leader and billionaire Ashcroft before polling day as pressure grew on the peer to disclose his precise tax status. In March, Ashcroft revealed he was non-domiciled for tax purposes in what Labour claimed was a breach of agreements made when he was appointed to the House of Lords.
Ashcroft has already made known his view that Cameron's decision to allow the first television debate between party leaders was a fatal mistake that gave Nick Clegg a chance to build up his public profile.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, Ashcroft will publish his verdict on the party's failure to secure a predicted majority tomorrow. In extracts published by the paper, he writes that the party's reliance on swipes at Gordon Brown, rather than a clear political message, squandered a golden opportunity to attract former Labour voters.
