George Soros, the billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist spent a total of $26.5m (€20.7m), more than any other single donor or group, in his failed attempt to prevent George W Bush from winning a second term as US President.

According to figures from the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-Partisan organisation, Soros ploughed more money into the campaign to discredit Bush and back John Kerry, the Democrat challenger who conceded to Bush yesterday, than the top five company donors combined.