Guido hears that Tony Blair’s former fundraiser (tennis partner and swimming trunks lender) Russell Chambers has been ringing round businesses fundraising for The Independent Group. Chambers is the former Chief Executive of Credit Suisse in the UK and Ireland and was known as “Tony Blair’s favourite banker.” He now works for Mitt Romney’s firm, Bain Capital…

Such a close friend of Tony Blair’s involvement with TIG will inevitably raise questions as to whether the former Labour leader truly continues to support the Labour Party. Chambers is also very good friends with Roland Rudd, and Amber.

Chambers tells Guido this morning that “Like many others I registered my admiration and respect for these courageous MPs on the day they launched the Independent Group. I am also one of the many, many people who made a small contribution online – and I strongly encourage anyone who is fed up with our broken political system to do exactly the same thing.” This will only reinforce the belief amongst Corbynistas that TIG is a Blairite project…