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| Ex-Tory donor to be Brown adviser | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Swedish businessman who lent £2.6m to the Tories is set to become an adviser to Gordon Brown. | |
| Johan Eliasch recently resigned from his post as Conservative deputy treasurer, although the party insisted he was still a supporter. | Johan Eliasch recently resigned from his post as Conservative deputy treasurer, although the party insisted he was still a supporter. |
| But the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson says he is about to quit altogether to advise the prime minister on deforestation and green energy. | But the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson says he is about to quit altogether to advise the prime minister on deforestation and green energy. |
| Mr Eliasch spent £8m on 400,000 acres of Amazon rainforest to preserve it. | Mr Eliasch spent £8m on 400,000 acres of Amazon rainforest to preserve it. |
| He will carry out a review on behalf of the prime minister into environmental issues. | He will carry out a review on behalf of the prime minister into environmental issues. |
| Centre ground | Centre ground |
| Nick Robinson said Mr Eliasch would not renew his Conservative party membership when it expires next month. | Nick Robinson said Mr Eliasch would not renew his Conservative party membership when it expires next month. |
| And he said he expected his £2.6m loan to be repaid. | And he said he expected his £2.6m loan to be repaid. |
| Privately, Mr Eliasch had complained to friends that he felt David Cameron had abandoned his commitment to occupy the political centre ground, Mr Robinson added. | Privately, Mr Eliasch had complained to friends that he felt David Cameron had abandoned his commitment to occupy the political centre ground, Mr Robinson added. |
| Earlier this week, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said Mr Eliasch was a "committed Conservative" and had resigned to spend more time concentrating on combating climate change. | Earlier this week, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said Mr Eliasch was a "committed Conservative" and had resigned to spend more time concentrating on combating climate change. |
| Mr Eliasch was one of four major donors to the Conservatives questioned by police investigating "cash for peerages" claims. | Mr Eliasch was one of four major donors to the Conservatives questioned by police investigating "cash for peerages" claims. |
| A former chairman of the Young Conservatives, his wealth comes from Head, the Dutch sports equipment company, which he runs from London. | A former chairman of the Young Conservatives, his wealth comes from Head, the Dutch sports equipment company, which he runs from London. |
| He founded the charity Cool Earth which encourages people to donate money to buy tiny sections of the rainforest to save them from destruction. | He founded the charity Cool Earth which encourages people to donate money to buy tiny sections of the rainforest to save them from destruction. |