Brown: funding not lawfully declared
Updated on 27 November 2007
Gordon Brown admits the donations Labour received from businessman David Abrahams were unlawful, as details of his other dealings come to light.
"The money was not lawfully declared, so it will be returned." That was the admission from Gordon Brown today about hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of secretive donations from businessman David Abrahams to the Labour party.
Now Mr Abrahams' other financial dealings with the party have come to light.
He offered a donation through an intermediary, Janet Kidd, to cabinet minister Hilary Benn's deputy leadership campaign. But Mr Benn said he'd only take money from Mr Abrahams himself - and did.
'The money was not lawfully declared, so it will be returned.'Gordon Brown
Mr Benn's cabinet colleague, Harriet Harman, was also offered money by Ms Kidd during the campaign. She accepted it but said she hadn't realised it was from Mr Abrahams.
It did not stop there. Ms Kidd also approached Gordon Brown's leadership campaign, but her help was refused because no-one had heard of her.
Mr Abrahams is the developer of a business park near Tony Blair's former constituency, which was granted planning permission after being initially turned down.
David Abrahams has also been accused by the Conservatives of using intermediaries while applying for planning permission.
Tory frontbencher Eric Pickles made his allegation in the Commons today, and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears promised an inquiry.
Mr Abrahams is the developer of a business park near Tony Blair's former constituency in County Durham, which was granted planning permission after being initially turned down.
