Invitation to have three-course dinner with Michael Gove leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of Tories as they're asked to stump up £43 each Treasury Minister Mel Stride has hosted dinner parties for the Gove campaign But guests have been asked to pay £43 for the cocktails, three courses and wine Mr Gove's allies insisted the dinners are for a Tory dining club called Deep Blue By Harry Cole Deputy Political Editor For The Mail On Sunday Published: 01:57 BST, 12 May 2019 | Updated: 02:01 BST, 12 May 2019 Viewcomments With a dozen candidates jostling to become Prime Minister, Westminster is awash with dinner invitations for MPs as warring camps try to butter up supporters. But an invitation from Michael Gove's team has left a bitter taste in the mouths of some Tories. Treasury Minister Mel Stride, a key lieutenant on the Gove campaign, has been hosting 'cocktails, three courses and wine' bashes at his home in Pimlico for Conservative MPs, where Mr Gove has pitched for their support. Guests at a dinner party for Michael Gove have been asked to stump up £43 each to pay for the events However, Mr Stride texted attendees his bank account details and asked them to stump up £43 each to pay for the events. 'It's not the world's greatest charm offensive,' one rival camp pointed out, 'but then he is a bean-counter by day.' However, a source hit back: 'MPs have always been asked in advance to contribute if they come.' Last night, Mr Gove's allies insisted that the dinners were actually for a Tory dining club called Deep Blue, set up by Mr Stride in 2011, rather than part of a campaign, and that leadership rival Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had even attended one such event. Mel Stride, a key lieutenant on the Gove campaign, has been hosting 'cocktails, three courses and wine' bashes at his home in Pimlico However, one MP claimed that 'Deep Blue has been a Gove front for months'. Mr Gove is currently locked in a battle with Health Secretary Matt Hancock to win over the backing of moderate Tories. Last night, Mr Hancock received a surprising endorsement from former Labour frontbencher Michael Dugher, who took to Twitter to claim: 'I defy anyone in Labour not to fear a Matt Hancock led Conservative Party.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility