Small contribution from Blair swells Labour coffers

Published on Wednesday 26 November 2008 20:41

DONATIONS to the Labour Party have outstripped those to the Conservatives in the last quarter, with Tony Blair chipping in to bail out the previously cash-strapped party.

Mr Blair – who has earned an estimated 12 million since standing down as prime minister 18 months ago – gave 7,500 to Labour in September, according to the latest list published yesterday by the Electoral Commission.

He joins a host of minor celebrities and former ministers who have dipped into their own pockets to help Labour, which has collected 5 million at the same time as the Conservatives reaped 4 million.

This breaks the trend over the past ten quarters, when donations to the Conservatives were higher than to Labour.

Labour also attempted to draw a line under the cash-for-honours scandal, converting loans worth 2.25 million into gifts – 2 million from former science minister Lord Sainsbury and 250,000 from the businessman Sir Gulam Noon.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also contributed, giving Labour 7,500 on 14 July, 11 days before the by-election in Glasgow East.

The Liberal Democrats have their own celebrity backer in the pop star Sir Elton John, who gave the party 10,495.29 on 30 July.