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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Donor 'unlikely to get cash back' | Donor 'unlikely to get cash back' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The businessman at the centre of the row over hidden donations to the Labour Party is unlikely to get any of his money back, the BBC has learned. | The businessman at the centre of the row over hidden donations to the Labour Party is unlikely to get any of his money back, the BBC has learned. |
| Sources at the Electoral Commission have indicated that the £663,975 given by David Abrahams via associates will instead go into government reserves. | Sources at the Electoral Commission have indicated that the £663,975 given by David Abrahams via associates will instead go into government reserves. |
| Labour officials have been holding talks with the commission over how the money should be re-paid. | Labour officials have been holding talks with the commission over how the money should be re-paid. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised to return the donations. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised to return the donations. |
| 30-day limit | 30-day limit |
| There was uncertainty as to whether the money should go to Mr Abrahams, a property developer, or the four intermediaries he used to donate to Labour over a period of four years. | There was uncertainty as to whether the money should go to Mr Abrahams, a property developer, or the four intermediaries he used to donate to Labour over a period of four years. |
| Rich donors are nothing but trouble for the parties. That is demonstrably true David Heath, Lib Dems | Rich donors are nothing but trouble for the parties. That is demonstrably true David Heath, Lib Dems |
| But Electoral Commission sources now say the money is likely to be forfeited by Mr Abrahams and paid into government reserves. | But Electoral Commission sources now say the money is likely to be forfeited by Mr Abrahams and paid into government reserves. |
| Under electoral law donations have to be given back to the donor within 30 days - after which the money is paid into the Treasury's Consolidated Fund. | Under electoral law donations have to be given back to the donor within 30 days - after which the money is paid into the Treasury's Consolidated Fund. |
| Commission sources said the Conservative Party had been forced to forfeit £25,000 it had wrongly accepted in July this year from Gareth Lake. | Commission sources said the Conservative Party had been forced to forfeit £25,000 it had wrongly accepted in July this year from Gareth Lake. |
| 'Sorry tale' | 'Sorry tale' |
| They added that the Liberal Democrats had had to do the same with £40,000 they received from Christopher Nicholson in March this year. | They added that the Liberal Democrats had had to do the same with £40,000 they received from Christopher Nicholson in March this year. |
| In a Commons debate on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he did not know whether the money donated by Mr Abrahams had yet left Labour's accounts. | In a Commons debate on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he did not know whether the money donated by Mr Abrahams had yet left Labour's accounts. |
| Let's remember that this is currently a case of 'cash for what?' BBC political editor Nick Robinson class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2007/12/bloggers_block.html">Read Nick's thoughts in full Mr Brown has pledged to pay back the money which he said had not been "lawfully declared". | |
| By law, anyone donating more than £5,000 must be identified and their details disclosed. | By law, anyone donating more than £5,000 must be identified and their details disclosed. |
| The prime minister has promised to move "quickly" to reform the rules governing party funding. | The prime minister has promised to move "quickly" to reform the rules governing party funding. |
| For the Tories, shadow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has described Labour's donor row as a "sorry tale of lawbreaking at the highest levels by one of Britain's biggest parties". | For the Tories, shadow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has described Labour's donor row as a "sorry tale of lawbreaking at the highest levels by one of Britain's biggest parties". |
| Liberal Democrat justice spokesman David Heath said: "Rich donors are nothing but trouble for the parties. That is demonstrably true." | Liberal Democrat justice spokesman David Heath said: "Rich donors are nothing but trouble for the parties. That is demonstrably true." |