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Apology as donations row deepens Alexander wrote to illegal donor
(about 2 hours later)
Scottish Labour's leader has apologised for the funding row which has hit her party - as it emerged that Labour had received a second illegal donation. The Scottish Labour party's leader has admitted that she wrote personally to the businessman who made an illegal donation to her leadership campaign.
Wendy Alexander said she "deeply regrets" that her leadership campaign accepted a payment from businessman Paul Green which broke donation rules. Wendy Alexander had earlier apologised for the row over the donation from Paul Green, which broke rules outlawing donations from people based offshore.
The Electoral Commission has said it will examine all donations made to Ms Alexander during the campaign. The businessman revealed Ms Alexander had written to thank him for the cheque - one of two he gifted to Labour.
Mr Green then revealed he had made a second gift to Labour. The SNP said the Labour leader's position was becoming "untenable".
The property developer, who is based in the Channel Islands, gave £950 to the Glasgow South branch of the party. However, her team said she had done nothing wrong and would be "toughing it out".
That is the same figure he donated to Ms Alexander's leadership campaign.
When asked if I could donate, I was told there was no problem Paul Green Read Brian Taylor's blogWhen asked if I could donate, I was told there was no problem Paul Green Read Brian Taylor's blog
It is illegal for people who are based offshore to donate to a UK political party. The Electoral Commission has said it will examine all donations made to Ms Alexander during her leadership the campaign.
Mr Green said he had received a personal letter from Ms Alexander thanking him for his contribution. Mr Green, who is based in the Channel Islands, gave £950 to that campaign at the request of Glasgow MSP Charlie Gordon.
Mr Green revealed on Friday that he had earlier given a similar amount to the Glasgow South branch of the party.
In a statement, the 65-year-old said no questions had been raised when he made the donation in April.
Mr Green said he had received a personal letter from Ms Alexander thanking him for his later contribution.
'Unnecessary damage'
"I am very angry after innocently becoming embroiled in a national controversy surrounding donations to the Scottish Labour Party," he said."I am very angry after innocently becoming embroiled in a national controversy surrounding donations to the Scottish Labour Party," he said.
"However, I have been completely exonerated. My donation to the Wendy Alexander campaign was open and above board."However, I have been completely exonerated. My donation to the Wendy Alexander campaign was open and above board.
"When asked if I could donate, I was told there was no problem.""When asked if I could donate, I was told there was no problem."
Damaged party He said the row had caused "unnecessary" damage to the party in Scotland.
In a statement, the 65-year-old said no questions had been raised when he made the donation to the Glasgow South Labour Party in April. I deeply regret that this situation has occurred... I am very sorry for it Wendy AlexanderScottish Labour leader class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/7121478.stm">Devolution review body call
Mr Green added that he was "dismayed" that Charlie Gordon, the MSP who sought the leadership campaign donation, was likely to lose his career over the row. "I cannot understand why they continued to maintain that the donation had come through a UK company when I had a letter from Wendy Alexander thanking me personally," he added.
"It has damaged the Labour Party that I support in Scotland and it was all so unnecessary if the party had only applied the rules," he added. In a short statement, a spokeswoman for Ms Alexander said: "As with other donors, Wendy Alexander wrote a thank you letter to Paul Green.
"As said previously, we will continue to co-operate fully with the Electoral Commission."
The spokeswoman also confirmed that Ms Alexander had "regulated donee" status.
This means she is liable to check the admissibility of all donations above £200 - such as the gift from Mr Green.
Political experience
Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser asked: "When Wendy Alexander signed her letter to Mr Green, did she not think to query the Jersey address?
"Is it credible to suggest that the Scottish Labour leader, with a long track record of political experience, would have been totally unaware of the law on political donations?"
However, Ms Alexander's team said she had been as much in the dark as others because they believed it had been a corporate donation.
In her statement issued earlier, Ms Alexander told reporters: "I deeply regret that this situation has occurred.
I am not aware of any other donations made by Mr Green to any part of the Labour Party or to any Labour elected member Charlie GordonLabour MSPI am not aware of any other donations made by Mr Green to any part of the Labour Party or to any Labour elected member Charlie GordonLabour MSP
"I cannot understand why they continued to maintain that the donation had come through a UK company when I had a letter from Wendy Alexander thanking me personally." "I am very sorry for it. I realise that you will have many questions but it's a matter for the Electoral Commission.
Labour said it was not told about Mr Green's earlier donation to the Glasgow South constituency. "They are looking in to it and it really is inappropriate for me to comment on any specifics at this time."
The party said the donation should have been referred to its compliance unit - and would have been rejected if that had happened.
Mr Gordon confirmed on Friday that he had asked Mr Green to make the donation in April.Mr Gordon confirmed on Friday that he had asked Mr Green to make the donation in April.
He said he had written to the chairman of the Glasgow South party after he realised the "invalidity" of the latest donation.He said he had written to the chairman of the Glasgow South party after he realised the "invalidity" of the latest donation.
'In good faith' Mr Gordon has apologised to the party chairman and to Mr Green, and stressed that he had acted in good faith.
In that letter he told the chairman that he may have made a similar error interpreting the donation rules and advised him to notify the Electoral Commission.
Mr Gordon has apologised to the party chairman and Mr Green, and stressed that he had acted in good faith.
I deeply regret that this situation has occurred... I am very sorry for it Wendy AlexanderScottish Labour leader Devolution review body call
"I am not aware of any other donations made by Mr Green to any part of the Labour Party or to any Labour elected member," he added."I am not aware of any other donations made by Mr Green to any part of the Labour Party or to any Labour elected member," he added.
The Electoral Commission said on Friday that it had written to Ms Alexander to request details of the donations received by her campaign. Police investigation
In her first public comment on the revelations, Ms Alexander told reporters: "I deeply regret that this situation has occurred. Labour said it was not told about Mr Green's earlier donation to the Glasgow South constituency.
"I am very sorry for it. I realise that you will have many questions but it's a matter for the Electoral Commission. The party said the donation should have been referred to its compliance unit - and would have been rejected if that had happened.
"They are looking in to it and it really is inappropriate for me to comment on any specifics at this time."
Clear contradictions
She said a cheque had been returned to the commission, which was standard procedure.
The SNP said it expected the Electoral Commission to refer matters to the police for investigation.The SNP said it expected the Electoral Commission to refer matters to the police for investigation.
The party said there were "clear contradictions" between statements made on behalf of Ms Alexander and claims made by Mr Green. MSP Roseanna Cunningham said the responsibility lay with Ms Alexander.
A spokesman said Ms Alexander's leadership of Labour was becoming "increasingly untenable". "One way or another, there must be a police investigation," she said.
"Wendy Alexander's position is becoming increasingly untenable - by the day and by the hour."