WINCHESTER'S new MP was donated almost £90,000 to help his bid to win the seat back for the Liberal Democrats. 

The recently published register of members' financial interests revealed that £89,705 was donated to Danny Chambers' campaign.

Dr Chambers won the seat from the Conservatives with a majority of 13,821 at the general election in July. 

He is the first Lib Dem to be MP for Winchester since Mark Oaten retired in 2010. The register of members' financial interests is published for every MP and is publicly available. 

Donations came from 13 sources, including a huge £43,400 from the estate of Dr Joan Read of Alresford. The entry said: “£43,400 to win the constituency back for the Lib Dems.”

READ MORE: Winchester MP gives first major interview since election

Most of the reasons given for donating were 'to fund the general election campaign', but others included 'hire of a venue and provision of food and drink for the launch of our fundraising club', 'for a public speaking training session' and 'payment for venue and food for an event to get new people involved with general election campaign.' 

On the donation from Dr Read, a spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said: “This was a generous and thoughtful donation left in a will to the local party. Dr Joan Read was a longstanding and much loved member of the Winchester District Liberal Democrats, including serving as chairman of our Alresford and Itchen Valley branch and a volunteer caseworker for Mark Oaten MP. 

“The funds were used on local party activities. 

“We are incredibly grateful to Dr Read for this act of generosity to the Liberal Democrat cause and she is much missed by all locally.”

Former Liberal Democrat city councillor Anne Weir, who donated £2,500, said: "I felt strongly I couldn’t leave this election to chance. As a life-long social and liberal democrat, it meant a great deal to me to do all I could to help get our excellent Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate elected this time."

Mike Biden donated £2,500. He said: “The reason I donate to political causes is because I want to give something back. 

“I was happy to support Danny because he so clearly wants to make a contribution to the future well-being of us all. His was a message of hope and a more positive future.

“I was also fed up with the sheer incompetence and constant in-fighting of the last Government - when I was young we respected politicians like Macmillan and Thatcher and whilst Sunak and Drummond as individuals are no doubt sincere and well meaning they are keeping the wrong company - the Conservatives seem bedevilled by constant arguments.”

Dr Chambers said: "I’m humbled and extremely grateful to over 1,000 people who contributed to my campaign over the last three years, whether that was delivering leaflets, knocking on doors, making phone calls, putting up posters, helping in our office, or donating funds.

"The Liberal Democrats don't have billionaire donors but instead we rely on donations, mostly from local members and supporters, to fund everything that we do. 

"Many of these people were life-long Conservative voters who told me they could see the country desperately needed a change of direction and were happy to back me to help get rid of the chaotic and incompetent Conservative government.

"I’m so thankful to everyone who helped. I am now working tirelessly to ensure our local health services and the hospital get the resources they need, that water companies are held to account for polluting our beautiful chalk streams, and will fight every day for the people of Winchester and the Meon Valley." 

The full list of donations is as follows: 

Name of donor: Paul Greenwood
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £9,600 to fund the general election campaign

Name of donor: Robert Marcus
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £739 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Alan Culver
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,500 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Alan Culver
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £500 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Paul Greenwood
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: payment for venue and food for an event to get new people involved with general election campaign, value £1,369

Name of donor: Paul Greenwood
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: hired of a venue and provision of food and drink for the launch of our fundraising club, value £2,589

Name of donor: Robert Marcus
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,015 for my general election fund

Name of donor: The Estate of Dr Joan Read
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £43,400 to win the constituency back for the Lib Dems
Donor status: other (This was left in the will of Dr Joan Read, paid by her estate)

Name of donor: Camilla Appleby
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,515 for a public speaking training session

Name of donor: Camilla Appleby
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,000 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Mike Biden
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Roger Harrison
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,000 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Roger Harrison
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,000 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Anne Weir
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Andrew Thompson
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 for my general election fund

Name of donor: The Local Vet Ltd
Address of donor: 599 High Road, London N12 0DY
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,000 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Ahmed Hindawi
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £5,000 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Matthew and Katie Gearing
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 for general election funding

Name of donor: Matthew and Katie Gearing
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 for my general election fund

Name of donor: Tracy and Andrew Wickham
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,478 donation towards my general election campaign

Name of donor: Tracy and Andrew Wickham
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 donation towards my general election campaign