Labour gets most cash from donors

Donations to the Labour Party continue to outstrip those to the Conservatives, according to Electoral Commission figures for April to June. The Conservatives received individual donations of £4.6m – below Labour’s £5m – but also got £1.7m of public money for policy development.

Labour was in debt by £20.2m as of 30 June, with the Conservatives borrowing £16.3m, and Liberal Democrats £1m.

In total 20 parties got £14m donations bringing the year’s tally to £25m.

Labour, which does not receive public money because it is in government, was given slightly more from donors compared with the previous quarter, when it received £4.99m.

Significant donations came from Iranian millionaire Mahmoud Khayami, who gave £500,000, and Muslim Friends of Labour gave £300,000.

The party also received £250,000 each from millionaire Jon Aisbitt, financier Ronald Cohen, a friend and confidant of prime minister Gordon Brown, and Nigel Doughty.

A Labour spokesman said: “Our finances remain in a challenging position but the upturn of recent months continues to be reflected in the figures from the Electoral Commission.

“Donations to the end of June 2007 show an increase of £3.6 million on the same stage in 2006.”

The Liberal Democrats received £1.3m in donations, which included at least £500,000 from public funds.

The UK Independence Party received £84,400, and the Scottish National Party got £623,600