Tories far outstrip rivals on funding

By Sam Dale The Conservatives have received well over half of all party donations this year and far more than Labour and the Liberal Democrats combined. A total of £12,357,714 has been given to the Tories compared with £4,072,432 for Labour and £1,931,147 for the Liberal Democrats. The Electoral Commission published political parties’ donations and […]

BNP accounts to be investigated

By Ian Dunt The Electoral Commission is launching an investigation into the British National party (BNP) accounts. The independent party finance watchdog began looking into the adequacy of the far-right party’s2008 statement of accounts at the start of this year, but the case has now become an investigation. “It is important to note – particularly […]

Labour tries to limit political damage as BA strike nears

By Ian Dunt Labour was frantically trying to limit the political damage from its association with the Unite union as the British Airways (BA) strike neared this morning. The Tories began the day with a fierce and outspoken attack on Labour’s relationship with the union, accusing Gordon Brown of retreating to the days of Militant […]

Labour peer abandons non-dom status

By Alex Stevenson The row over Tory donor Michael Ashcroft’s tax status has prompted Labour’s longstanding party donor Swraj Paul to announce his decision to end his ‘non-dom’ status. In an interview with the New Statesman, Lord Paul of Marylebone said he planned to begin paying income tax on all his earnings from the start […]

Ashcroft row forces Hague on to defensive

By Alex Stevenson William Hague struggled to brush off repeated attacks from Harriet Harman about Tory donor Michael Ashcroft’s tax status in a rowdy PMQs today. The shadow foreign secretary has been embarrassed by letters published by the Guardian newspaper showing that he promised to ensure Lord Ashcroft would become resident in Britain for tax […]

Parties rapped for late donation declaration

By politics.co.uk staff The Electoral Commission has criticised political parties for declaring their donations late. The Tories reported £637,069 in the last quarter of 2009 which should have been revealed earlier, while Labour and the Lib Dems also made unpunctual declarations. They were joined by Ukip and the Green party, leading the commission to express […]

Labour drawn into regional Cabinets row

By politics.co.uk staff Labour ministers have been accused of using regional Cabinet meetings to help the party in key marginal seats. Conservative MP Douglas Carswell has written to the head of the civil service, Sir Gus O’Donnell, to complain after it emerged Harriet Harman had used the trips to arrange meetings with local party officials. […]

BNP appeals for cash to fight EHRC

By politics.co.uk BNP leader Nick Griffin is reported to have written to party activists appealing for money to save the party from financial ruin. According to The Times, Mr Griffin has urged supporters to make donations to “keep the wolves at bay”. A party spokesman was unable to confirm or deny the wording of the […]

BNP to be fined for donations

By Ian Dunt The British National party (BNP) will be issued with a fine for failing to issue a return to the Electoral Commission concerning its donations. The party will be issued with a separate fine for failing to deliver their latest annual statement of accounts. “This is unacceptable and the party will be issued […]

Lib Dems forfeit donation

By politics.co.uk staff Richmond MP Susan Kramer has been embarrassed after her local party were forced to return four donations made to the Liberal Democrats by her son. The Electoral Commission said the party’s Twickenham and Richmond accounting unit had forfeited donations totalling £1,328.20 from Jonathan Kramer, a well-known activist within the local party. As […]