Fresh scrutiny has landed on Labour donor Dale Vince, after it emerged that his green energy company, Ecotricity, has been awarded millions in contracts with Sadiq Khan’s City Hall while he was also handing over large sums to Labour.
Figures show that since 2020, Ecotricity has been paid more than £3.5 million to supply electricity to the Greater London Authority (GLA).
Over the same period, Vince personally donated more than £5.5 million to the Labour Party, including significant contributions to Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner.
No Accusations of Wrongdoing—But Eyebrows Raised
There’s no suggestion of illegal activity, but critics say the timing of the donations and contracts will not sit well with taxpayers.
Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf described the revelations as “enraging” for the public, while Susan Hall, Conservative leader in the London Assembly, said she was previously unaware of the Ecotricity deal.
Hall added that she now intends to dig deeper: “I can only assume the GLA has checked that this is the best value for money, but I will certainly be asking questions.”
How Ecotricity Got the Deal
According to City Hall, the contract was awarded through a competitive process run by LASER, a local authority purchasing consortium.
Officials stressed that Mayor Khan and his team had no role in the decision.
Ecotricity, which promotes itself as a supplier of “certified vegan” green energy, first began powering the GLA in 2016, shortly after Sadiq Khan became mayor.
Since 2019, City Hall has run entirely on renewable energy, with electricity from Ecotricity and green gas from another supplier.
The contract, originally due to expire in 2020, has been renewed each year and is now set to run until March 2026.
A High-Profile Political Backer
Vince’s ties to Labour have become increasingly visible.
He was a prominent presence at the party’s 2024 conference, where he took part in events focused on environmental issues.
He has also shared stages with Sadiq Khan, including headlining sustainability festival Earthfest.
When Khan was re-elected last year, Vince posted a celebratory video montage of the two together, writing: “London has the Mayor it deserves and wanted.”
Shifting Away From Radical Activism
Vince has long funded green activism. He gave more than £300,000 to Just Stop Oil, and has also supported Extinction Rebellion and Animal Rising, the group known for trying to disrupt the Grand National.
However, in 2023 he pulled back from bankrolling Just Stop Oil, saying further protests were becoming “counterproductive.”
From that point, he shifted his financial focus towards Labour’s general election campaign.
Praise and Awards
The relationship between the mayor and Vince has also been on public display at award ceremonies.
Last year, Khan received a “Political Purpose Award” for expanding the Ultra Low Emissions Zone, at an event organised by campaigning group Nature 2030 and Ecotricity.
Vince, who was present, described Khan as “inspiring.”
Ecotricity Defends the Contract
Responding to criticism, an Ecotricity spokesperson said the company has been supplying the public sector for decades and insisted the GLA deal is “entirely normal.”
They stressed it was won in a competitive process and described it as a “small contract” with no link to Vince’s political donations.
City Hall echoed that stance, confirming that independent procurement experts—not the mayor—handled the contract.
