Labour took £14million worth of loans, and an in-balance of donations in Wolverhampton South West

3.24.04pm GMT Fri 17th Mar 2006

Labour took £14million worth of loans, and an in-balance of donations in Wolverhampton South West.

As more news trickles out about Labour's loan sleaze, it appears they took £14million worth of loans in the run-up to the General Election. Last night I watched Question Time and thought Margaret Hodge made a very bad attempt to defend what Labour had been up to. Don't get me wrong I have no doubt the Conservatives and (even the) Liberal Democrats have been doing something similar (though on a different scale - particularly the Liberal Democrats), but it really is quite outrageous that this can all be done in secret.

Downing Street has today announced that Sir Hayden Phillips, a former permanent secretary at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, will look into the future of party funding in liaison with the political parties, following Mr Blair's promise to review existing arrangements.

It makes me wonder what else has been going on - I popped on the the Electoral Commission's website earlier to look at the declared donations in Wolverhampton in the run up to to the Election and since, obviously this does not take into account loans or small donations. Between November 2004 and the latest published returns Wolverhampton South West Conservatives received £25,500 in declarable donations, Wolverhampton South West Labour £10,200 and the Wolverhampton South West Liberal Democrats had no declarable donations - I can reveal though our total donations, including non-declarable ones (ie the odd £10, £20 or even £50) are closer to £500 in total.

Talk about in-balance - through ironically the Liberal Democrats seems to have spent their money best with the other two losing votes and percentage at the General Election. Of course if you do wish to donate to Wolverhampton South West Liberal Democrats you can do so either direct to me (email me on colin@colin-ross.org.uk to find out how) or via this website at http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/pages/wolverhamptonsouthwest.html