GIG economy employer and former Tory donor Pimlico Plumbers donated £25,000 to the Liberal Democrats in the first quarter of 2018, new political donations data has revealed.

The company gave £64,786 to the Tories between February 2015 and July 2017, but Thatcher-loving boss Charlie Mullins announced in March he would be funding the Lib Dems to try to overrule the EU referendum result.

Mr Mullins, who was a business adviser to David Cameron and George Osborne, has said he will stand as an independent candidate against London Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2020.

Pimlico Plumbers has also been embroiled in a long-running legal dispute with former worker Gary Smith, who claims he was dismissed after requesting to work three days a week after a heart attack.

The Court of Appeal recognised Mr Smith as a worker, rather than as a “self-employed” operative, but Mr Mullins dragged him to the Supreme Court earlier this year.