Health Secretary Received Nearly £500,000 from Donor Linked to Healthcare Recruitment

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper received almost £500,000 in donations over the past decade from a donor linked to healthcare recruitment companies that work with both the NHS and private healthcare providers, according to an analysis published by The BMJ.

The analysis reports that the donations came from businessman Peter Hearn and companies ultimately owned and controlled by him, including recruitment businesses that supply staff to NHS organisations as well as the independent healthcare sector. The donations were declared in the UK Parliament’s Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

The BMJ said the donations totalled just under £500,000 between 2015 and 2024, with many recorded as funding staffing and office costs. There is no suggestion that the donations breached parliamentary rules, and MPs are permitted to accept and declare political donations in accordance with transparency requirements.

The report has prompted renewed discussion about transparency and the influence of commercial interests in healthcare policymaking. Political donations to MPs must be publicly declared, and ministers are expected to comply with the Ministerial Code regarding conflicts of interest and decision-making.

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