Tory peer leads inquiry into promises made by ex-treasurer

DAVID Cameron has asked Lord Gold, a Tory peer and senior lawyer, to hold an investigation into the promises made by the former Conservative treasurer, Peter Cruddas.

He has been asked to look at pledges made by Mr Cruddas over access to senior ministers, including the Prime Minister and Chancellor George Osborne, as well as claims that large donations would help to influence the Downing street policy unit.

The inquiry was last night branded a whitewash by Labour, but the Conservatives appeared also to come to the conclusion by announcing that Mr Cruddas, who had been party treasurer for only a month, had been making promises which were “untrue”.

The inquiry is set to be an internal disciplinary hearing into Mr Cruddas, rather than an investigation into whether the claims he was making were true.

Lord Gold, a London School of Economics graduate and a former senior partner at Herbert Smith, was made a life peer in November 2010.

He had previously been a member of Mr Cameron’s scrutiny committee on the expenses scandal and also served as chairman of the party’s disciplinary committee.

Yesterday, Labour MP John Mann appeared to suggest that the police could be called in when he asked for assurances from the government that the Attorney General would not block any prosecutions arising from a potential legal inquiry.