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| MP's party received payment from Northampton Town developer | MP's party received payment from Northampton Town developer |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| An MP's local party received thousands of pounds in undeclared payments connected to a businessman involved in the Northampton Town stadium redevelopment, the BBC can reveal. | An MP's local party received thousands of pounds in undeclared payments connected to a businessman involved in the Northampton Town stadium redevelopment, the BBC can reveal. |
| Conservative MP for Northampton South David Mackintosh received an undeclared payment of £6,195 from Howard Grossman. | Conservative MP for Northampton South David Mackintosh received an undeclared payment of £6,195 from Howard Grossman. |
| Three individuals with links to Mr Grossman each paid £10,000 into his general election fighting fund. | Three individuals with links to Mr Grossman each paid £10,000 into his general election fighting fund. |
| Mr Mackintosh has declined to comment on the payments to his association. | Mr Mackintosh has declined to comment on the payments to his association. |
| A Conservative Party spokesman said: "We are looking into the matter." | A Conservative Party spokesman said: "We are looking into the matter." |
| Loan Timeline | Loan Timeline |
| September 2013: Northampton Borough Council agrees to loan League Two Northampton Town £10.25m towards the redevelopment | September 2013: Northampton Borough Council agrees to loan League Two Northampton Town £10.25m towards the redevelopment |
| May 2015: Former leader of the council David Mackintosh elected MP for Northampton South | May 2015: Former leader of the council David Mackintosh elected MP for Northampton South |
| October 2015: Northampton Town are issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs | October 2015: Northampton Town are issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs |
| November 2015: Police start full-scale investigation into "alleged financial irregularities" involved in the loan to the football club, while it is announced a takeover deal at Northampton Town may stop it going into administration. | November 2015: Police start full-scale investigation into "alleged financial irregularities" involved in the loan to the football club, while it is announced a takeover deal at Northampton Town may stop it going into administration. |
| The payment to former Northampton council leader Mr Mackintosh's party from Mr Grossman and one of the donations, for £10,000, was not declared to the Electoral Commission. | |
| Failure to declare donations could, dependant on the circumstances, result in a fine or even be a criminal offence. | Failure to declare donations could, dependant on the circumstances, result in a fine or even be a criminal offence. |
| Mr Grossman was director of 1st Land, a company set up to oversee the rebuild of Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium which subsequently went into administration. | Mr Grossman was director of 1st Land, a company set up to oversee the rebuild of Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium which subsequently went into administration. |
| Efforts are now being made to trace a £10.25m loan given to the club by Northampton Borough Council and passed on to 1st Land. Millions of pounds of public money remain unaccounted for. | Efforts are now being made to trace a £10.25m loan given to the club by Northampton Borough Council and passed on to 1st Land. Millions of pounds of public money remain unaccounted for. |
| Work on the stadium remains incomplete and the main contractor is owed £2m. | Work on the stadium remains incomplete and the main contractor is owed £2m. |
| Mr Mackintosh was leader of Northampton Borough Council before becoming an MP in May and oversaw the authority's role in the Sixfields project and the unsecured loan. | Mr Mackintosh was leader of Northampton Borough Council before becoming an MP in May and oversaw the authority's role in the Sixfields project and the unsecured loan. |
| The BBC has examined the close links between Mr Mackintosh and Howard Grossman, owner of the County Group, at the time planning permission was granted. | The BBC has examined the close links between Mr Mackintosh and Howard Grossman, owner of the County Group, at the time planning permission was granted. |
| Two years ago Mr Mackintosh attended a celebrity ball at the Dorchester Hotel in London paid for by the County Group. It was six days before a crucial planning meeting, although Mr Mackintosh himself was not on the planning committee. | Two years ago Mr Mackintosh attended a celebrity ball at the Dorchester Hotel in London paid for by the County Group. It was six days before a crucial planning meeting, although Mr Mackintosh himself was not on the planning committee. |
| His £500 ticket for the Amy Winehouse Foundation fundraiser, attended by stars such as Pixie Lott, Barbara Windsor and Jerry Hall, is not recorded in his borough council declaration of gifts and hospitality. | His £500 ticket for the Amy Winehouse Foundation fundraiser, attended by stars such as Pixie Lott, Barbara Windsor and Jerry Hall, is not recorded in his borough council declaration of gifts and hospitality. |
| However, it is included in Mr Mackintosh's declaration as a Northamptonshire County Councillor. | However, it is included in Mr Mackintosh's declaration as a Northamptonshire County Councillor. |
| Mr Grossman was involved in a general election fundraising event for Mr Mackintosh last November at the prestigious Conservative Carlton Club in London. | Mr Grossman was involved in a general election fundraising event for Mr Mackintosh last November at the prestigious Conservative Carlton Club in London. |
| The £295-a-head gathering was organised by Northampton Conservatives, but several personal invitations were sent out by the businessman, telling a Sixfields contractor it was a "great opportunity for meeting and be involved with nhampton (Northampton) council". | The £295-a-head gathering was organised by Northampton Conservatives, but several personal invitations were sent out by the businessman, telling a Sixfields contractor it was a "great opportunity for meeting and be involved with nhampton (Northampton) council". |
| Mr Grossman subsequently sent £6,195 to Northampton South Conservative Association. | Mr Grossman subsequently sent £6,195 to Northampton South Conservative Association. |
| The following month, Northampton Borough Council approved outline planning permission for the land adjacent to Sixfields Stadium. | The following month, Northampton Borough Council approved outline planning permission for the land adjacent to Sixfields Stadium. |
| The BBC has looked at the accounts of Northampton South Conservative Association. Between May and June last year, three payments of £10,000 each were made from the following: | The BBC has looked at the accounts of Northampton South Conservative Association. Between May and June last year, three payments of £10,000 each were made from the following: |
| It is perfectly legal and normal for business people to give money to political campaigns but there are rules about declaring those payments. | It is perfectly legal and normal for business people to give money to political campaigns but there are rules about declaring those payments. |
| Suresh Patel, the chairman of Northampton South Conservatives and the MP's election agent, went to the Conservative Party chairman Lord Feldman last week. He gave him a dossier detailing his concerns about the links between Mr Mackintosh and Mr Grossman, and for the first time admitted that the £10,000 from Mr Platt had not been declared. The receipt from Mr Grossman was not specifically discussed. | Suresh Patel, the chairman of Northampton South Conservatives and the MP's election agent, went to the Conservative Party chairman Lord Feldman last week. He gave him a dossier detailing his concerns about the links between Mr Mackintosh and Mr Grossman, and for the first time admitted that the £10,000 from Mr Platt had not been declared. The receipt from Mr Grossman was not specifically discussed. |
| Mr Patel confirmed to the BBC that the undeclared payment from Mr Grossman was for tickets to an election fundraising event. | Mr Patel confirmed to the BBC that the undeclared payment from Mr Grossman was for tickets to an election fundraising event. |
| He said the Electoral Commission was not informed of the payment by Gary Platt because of an administrative error. The payments by Mr Mayfield and Mr Western were passed on. Mr Patel has since notified the Commission of the Platt payment. | He said the Electoral Commission was not informed of the payment by Gary Platt because of an administrative error. The payments by Mr Mayfield and Mr Western were passed on. Mr Patel has since notified the Commission of the Platt payment. |
| In a statement via his solicitors, Mr Grossman told the BBC: "Howard Grossman paid £6,195 for tickets to attend an event hosted by Mr Mackintosh as part of his election campaign. Mr Grossman is unable to comment on contributions made from other individuals you have mentioned." | In a statement via his solicitors, Mr Grossman told the BBC: "Howard Grossman paid £6,195 for tickets to attend an event hosted by Mr Mackintosh as part of his election campaign. Mr Grossman is unable to comment on contributions made from other individuals you have mentioned." |
| By law personal donations of more than £500, and donations to local associations of more than £1,500, must be declared to the Electoral Commission. | By law personal donations of more than £500, and donations to local associations of more than £1,500, must be declared to the Electoral Commission. |