Peter Hain
mystery donations
- A hitherto unknown thinktank that passed tens of thousands of pounds to Peter Hain's deputy leadership campaign has never published any work or held any meetings since its incorporation in December 2006. Concerns over the exact role of the Progressive Policies Forum mounted yesterday and threatened to undermine efforts by the work and pensions secretary to clear his name and explain how he and his team had failed to register more than £100,000 in donations to the Electoral Commission.[1]
The Progressive Policy Forum was set up by John Underwood (former director of communications for the Labour Party, founder of Clear Communications and Business Development Director of Freshwater UK[2]) in 2006, three month after the launch of Hain's campaign[3]. The Forum channelled over £50,000 in donations and loans to Peter Hain's deputy leadership campaign. This included almost £15,000 from Isaac Kaye and a £5,000 donation and £25,000 loan from Willie Nagel (a diamond broker who was once a Conservative supporter)[4]. It is claimed that Nagel did not know that his donation and loan had gone to Hain[5].
Hain appeared as a guest of honour at Freshwater's table at a Labour fund-raising dinner and publicly praised Freshwater as a "modern, dynamic company" that he wanted to see go "from strength to strength"[6]. He is reported to have "absolutely no regrets" over his links to the company.
In December 2007, Hain first admitted to having failed to disclose a £5,000 donation on the Commons Register of MPs' Interests and to the Electoral Commission. 'Days later, the number of undeclared donations had soared to 17, totalling pounds 103,000'[7].
According to Settle, 'One source close to the Hain campaign told The Herald last night: "It was very shambolic and was not a campaign that merited anything like what was eventually spent. Where did all the money go? Where is the money?"[8]
The Times reports (in January 2008) that other likely candidates for questioning by Scotland Yard could include Phil Woolas (the junior minister who helped to run Mr Hain's campaign), Phil Taylor (Hain's former special adviser) and Steve Morgan (Hain's former campaign manager)[9].
A separate investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner John Lyon (into complaints that £103,000 had not been entered into the Commons Register of Members' Interest), has been suspended while the police investigate and may be continued once the outcome of the Police inquiry is known[10].
Notes
- ↑ Patrick Wintour and David Hencke Questions over 'thinktank' pile pressure on Hain Body that paid thousands to minister's campaign 'has never held meeting' Saturday January 12, 2008 The Guardian
- ↑ Freshwater UK Directors Accessed 4th April2008
- ↑ Brady, B. (2008) 'I've done nothing wrong,' Peter Hain insists, as he battles for his political lifeThe Independent 13th January 2008. Accessed 4th April 2008
- ↑ Brady, B. (2008) 'I've done nothing wrong,' Peter Hain insists, as he battles for his political lifeThe Independent 13th January 2008. Accessed 4th April 2008
- ↑ Pierce, A. (2008) 'Why he fell Spending spree that sent Hain's career into a tailspin' The Daily Telegraph. 25th January 2008.
- ↑ Pierce, A. (2008) 'Why he fell Spending spree that sent Hain's career into a tailspin' The Daily Telegraph. 25th January 2008.
- ↑ Pierce, A. (2008) 'Why he fell Spending spree that sent Hain's career into a tailspin' The Daily Telegraph. 25th January 2008.
- ↑ Settle, M. (2008) 'Many questions to be answered; A black day for politics and even worse for Brown'. The Herald (Glasgow) 25th January 2008.
- ↑ Syal, R. (2008) 'Early election may be scuppered by police inquiry'. The Times (London). 25th January 2008
- ↑ Livingstone, T. & Shipton, M. (2008) 'I made a mistake but it was an innocent mistake'. The Western Mail. 25th January 2008.
