J.K. Rowling Makes a Donation to Labour Party Deputy Leader

J.K. Rowling is known for her generosity to charities, political parties, the reconstruction of a community parish, and practically anything else she believes in and supports. Ms. Rowling donated one million pounds to the Labour party back in 2008, but this marks her first donation to an individual candidate. The lucky MP is Tom Watson. Tom Watson and Ms. Rowling share a common interest in the Leveson Inquiries on invasive journalism, and specifically phone hacking. Tom Watson was a leader in uncovering phone hackings by journalists after his phone was hacked. Ms. Rowling became especially concerned when her children were approached by reporters, photographed, and notes were slipped into her 5-year-old son’s school bag. The Guardian reports:

It is the first time the best-selling creator of Harry Potter has given money to an individual politician. According to Watson’s declaration to the register of members’ interests, he received £4,000 from her in May.

The money will be seen as a boost, and a sprinkling of stardust, on Watson’s bid for the high-profile and influential party role. He is seen as one of the strongest candidates among a crowded field of seven.

The pair are believed to have become acquainted during the campaign to uncover phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World. Both were witnesses at the Leveson inquiry into press intrusion.

According to the entry, which was sent to the registrar last week, Watson received £4,000 from “Joanne Rowling” on 11 May. This is the same name that she used to donate £1m to Labour in 2008, her only other donation to a party or politician.

Rowling told the Leveson inquiry that her personal details were “blagged” by someone on behalf of a newspaper. She also said that her children had been photographed and that a reporter had slipped a note into her then five-year-old son’s schoolbag.

 

Watson, the MP for West Bromwich East, was at the forefront of the campaign to uncover hacking at News International newspapers after his own phone was hacked. He memorably questioned Rupert Murdoch about alleged criminal activity by his newspapers in front of a parliamentary committee and wrote a book about it.

A spokesman for Watson told the Guardian: “Tom’s delighted that JK Rowling has made a generous donation to his deputy leadership campaign. She is obviously a hugely talented and successful author but she is also a tireless campaigner for a range of charities and causes, particularly those that work on behalf of women and children around the world.”