UK May's Conservatives attract most donations in 2nd week of election campaign

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May writes a message for the book of condolences for the victims of the attack on Manchester Arena, at Manchester Town Hall in Manchester May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Ben Birchall/Pool

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May's ruling Conservatives received 1.6 million pounds ($2 million) in donations in the second week of campaigning ahead of a June 8 election, far more than their rivals, the Electoral Commission, a watchdog, said on Thursday. That dwarfed the 383,000 pounds received by the main opposition Labour Party. The Liberal Democrats brought in 160,000 pounds in donations, while the anti-EU UK Independence Party received 35,000 pounds. May's Conservatives, who opinion polls suggest will comfortably win the election, also received more donations than other parties in the first week of the campaign. They are expected to outspend Labour during the course of the campaign. ($1 = 0.7714 pounds) (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by William Schomberg)