FORMER Manchester United ace Gary Neville was left red faced after he tapped up Tory donors in a bid to get them to hand cash to Labour – only for them to blow the whistle to party chiefs.
The ex-England ace was “caught offside” at a northern business function trying to get bigwigs to pump cash into Sir Keir Starmer’s opposition.
Gary Neville was reported after asking Tory donors to give cash to Sir Keir Starmer’s campaign
But the longstanding Tory donors reported his tin shaking to northern Tory chiefs after attending the event in the North West earlier this year.
One said: “He’s in with Manchester business types given his own business interests up there.
“At one recent event he was doing the rounds, saying he is close to Keir.
“But as soon as he left they reported the intel to local Tory chiefs – he was well and truly caught office.”
There is no suggestion Mr Neville was doing anything wrong.
Last year the Sky Sport pundit was forced to deny he would be standing for Labour at the next election after admitting he’d become a member.
He appeared alongside Sir Keir Starmer at the Labour Party conference, where he said: “I want to continue to do the things that I’m doing locally in Greater Manchester.
“I have to say that I feel politically motivated, but I can do as much, I think, for the Labour Party being here today as I can do being an MP.
A Labour source confirmed Mr Neville has been attending events and is “continuing to be supportive.”
Mr Neville and the Labour party did not comment.
The Tory party declined to comment.
