Respect forfeits illegal donation

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The Respect Party has agreed to forfeit a donation from an Arab businessman after it was judged impermissible under UK electoral law.

The party accepted a £4,824 donation from Dubai executive Abdulrahman Khansaheb in June 2007.

Respect MP George Galloway subsequently referred it to the Electoral Commission which ruled it invalid as Mr Khansaheb was not on the UK electoral register.

As Respect acted voluntarily, the watchdog will take no further action.

Since the donation was less than £5,000, Respect did not have to declare it to the electoral authorities.

But following the move by Mr Galloway and other senior party figures, the electoral watchdog declared it invalid because the donor was not entitled to vote in the UK at the time.

"The party has agreed to voluntarily forfeit the donation and therefore legal action by the Commission is not necessary," the Electoral Commission said in a statement.