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Hain not charged over donations | |
(10 minutes later) | |
Former cabinet minister Peter Hain will not face charges over the late declaration of donations to his Labour deputy leadership bid. | |
Mr Hain, who quit the government in January to clear his name, was investigated over £103,000 declared late to the Electoral Commission. | Mr Hain, who quit the government in January to clear his name, was investigated over £103,000 declared late to the Electoral Commission. |
Prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to charge him with anything. | |
Mr Hain said he was pleased, after "ten months in limbo" to have been able to clear his name. | |
On Friday Stephen O'Doherty of the Crown Prosecution Service said while donations were declared late, they could not prove Mr Hain handled the unreported donations. | |
Mr Hain ran to be Labour's deputy leader but came fifth out of six in the contest in the summer of 2007 and initially declared £77,000 in donations to the Electoral Commission. | |
Donations row | Donations row |
But donations to the Labour Party came under the spotlight in November, when it emerged property developer David Abrahams had donated more than £650,000 using other people's names and police launched an investigation. | But donations to the Labour Party came under the spotlight in November, when it emerged property developer David Abrahams had donated more than £650,000 using other people's names and police launched an investigation. |
I said all along that reporting some of the donations to my 2007 Labour party deputy Leader campaign late was an honest mistake - now everyone knows that it was Peter Hain Michael Crick on David Abrahams | I said all along that reporting some of the donations to my 2007 Labour party deputy Leader campaign late was an honest mistake - now everyone knows that it was Peter Hain Michael Crick on David Abrahams |
Mr Hain's rival in the deputy leadership contest - and eventual winner - Harriet Harman had to pay back a £5,000 donation to her own campaign after discovering it had come from one of Mr Abrahams' associates. | Mr Hain's rival in the deputy leadership contest - and eventual winner - Harriet Harman had to pay back a £5,000 donation to her own campaign after discovering it had come from one of Mr Abrahams' associates. |
Days later Mr Hain admitted donations to his own campaign were "not registered as they should have been". | Days later Mr Hain admitted donations to his own campaign were "not registered as they should have been". |
He initially said a £5,000 donation had been declared late because of an "administrative error". But in January he admitted £103,000 had not been declared, although none of them were from Mr Abrahams. | He initially said a £5,000 donation had been declared late because of an "administrative error". But in January he admitted £103,000 had not been declared, although none of them were from Mr Abrahams. |
Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 political donations need to be reported within 60 days of a donation being offered. | Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 political donations need to be reported within 60 days of a donation being offered. |
A police investigation began and Mr Hain resigned from his cabinet post in January saying he had "made a mistake but it was an innocent mistake". | A police investigation began and Mr Hain resigned from his cabinet post in January saying he had "made a mistake but it was an innocent mistake". |
In a statement on Friday, Mr Hain said: "I chose to leave government to clear my name and I am pleased I have now done so. | In a statement on Friday, Mr Hain said: "I chose to leave government to clear my name and I am pleased I have now done so. |
"I said all along that reporting some of the donations to my 2007 Labour party deputy Leader campaign late was an honest mistake. Now everyone knows that it was. | "I said all along that reporting some of the donations to my 2007 Labour party deputy Leader campaign late was an honest mistake. Now everyone knows that it was. |
"After ten months in limbo while the inquiry took its course, I now look forward to tackling again the issues of social justice, human rights and equality as I have done for all 40 years of my political life, both outside and inside government, from anti-apartheid protester to cabinet minister." | "After ten months in limbo while the inquiry took its course, I now look forward to tackling again the issues of social justice, human rights and equality as I have done for all 40 years of my political life, both outside and inside government, from anti-apartheid protester to cabinet minister." |
He thanked his constituents in Neath and his family for their "wonderful support". | He thanked his constituents in Neath and his family for their "wonderful support". |