WEALTHY business leaders in North Staffordshire gave away more than £160,000 to political parties last year.

The latest figures released by the Electoral Commission show that Stoke City chairman Peter Coates, right, was the biggest contributor, donating a total of £105,000 to the Labour Party's coffers during 2009.

He made a single payment of £100,000 through his Hillside (New Media) Limited firm, based in Etruria, on June 30.

This was followed by a smaller donation of £5,000 from his online betting company, Bet365, on July 16.

The Labour Party received a total of £16.2 million in personal and corporate donations last year, compared to £32.5 million given to the Conservative Party.

Tory donors include the Bamford family which runs Rocester-based JCB.

Records show that JCB Research gave the party £50,000 on January 5 and a further £6,000 on February 24 last year.

Donations to the British National Party increased from just £2,500 in 2008 to £34,937 last year.

The figure would have been higher, but eight payments, totalling £10,395, were not permitted.

None of the BNP donors submitted their addresses.