MORNING STAR supporters in Leicester raised a massive £2,500 for the paper at their annual festive dinner over the weekend.

Over 100 people attended the event on Saturday organised by the Leicester and District Readers and Supporters Group and the Indian Workers Association (IWA).

It was also supported by Leicester’s Unite Community branch.

Chairman of the East Midlands IWA Mohinder Farma said that the collection “exceeded expectations.”

“The amount we raised is a record for us … We have never broken the £2,000 barrier before,” he added.

Revellers braved the winter cold as Midlands TUC secretary Lee Barron told them how Tory austerity has fuelled “10 years of stagnation of wages.”

He warned of “poverty the likes which has not been seen for generations” and said the TUC must be at the forefront of a national campaign against austerity.

Mr Barron praised the role of the Star in covering issues faced by ordinary people and for being at the centre of resistance.

Star columnist Peter Frost entertained guests with an “Up Yours Farage” pantomime game that championed the positive role of immigrants including Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and Claudia Jones.

And Star reporter Steve Sweeney hailed the newspaper as the only one to regularly cover events of global importance from a class perspective, including Turkey where he was the only journalist present at the trial of opposition leader Figen Yuksekdag.

Star editor Ben Chacko said: “Every year our supporters in Leicester surpass themselves with a cracking fundraiser.

“It’s a great night of politics and delicious food and at the Star we’re proud to have such fantastic supporters who do so much to keep our paper going.”