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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Brown denies war over donations | Brown denies war over donations |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Downing Street has played down reported tensions between Gordon Brown and Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman over proxy donations to the party. | Downing Street has played down reported tensions between Gordon Brown and Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman over proxy donations to the party. |
| The prime minister's spokesman said he was "fully supportive" of Ms Harman and "focused" on running the country. | The prime minister's spokesman said he was "fully supportive" of Ms Harman and "focused" on running the country. |
| Ms Harman earlier denied harming Mr Brown's reputation after it emerged her aides accepted £5,000 from Janet Kidd, an associate of David Abrahams. | Ms Harman earlier denied harming Mr Brown's reputation after it emerged her aides accepted £5,000 from Janet Kidd, an associate of David Abrahams. |
| Police have launched an inquiry into Mr Abrahams' Labour donations. | Police have launched an inquiry into Mr Abrahams' Labour donations. |
| 'Unacceptable' | 'Unacceptable' |
| The North East property developer gave more than £650,000 to the party, via four associates, over four years. | The North East property developer gave more than £650,000 to the party, via four associates, over four years. |
| See how David Abrahams made donations to the Labour PartyIn graphics | See how David Abrahams made donations to the Labour PartyIn graphics |
| Mr Brown has said all the money will be returned, as the donations were unlawful and "completely unacceptable". | Mr Brown has said all the money will be returned, as the donations were unlawful and "completely unacceptable". |
| Downing Street has insisted Mr Brown knew nothing about the arrangement with Mr Abrahams. | Downing Street has insisted Mr Brown knew nothing about the arrangement with Mr Abrahams. |
| But Ms Harman appeared to implicate Mr Brown in the affair by revealing his former leadership campaign manager, Chris Leslie, had suggested Janet Kidd as a possible donor. | But Ms Harman appeared to implicate Mr Brown in the affair by revealing his former leadership campaign manager, Chris Leslie, had suggested Janet Kidd as a possible donor. |
| Asked earlier if she had "dropped Gordon Brown in it," she replied: "No absolutely not. | Asked earlier if she had "dropped Gordon Brown in it," she replied: "No absolutely not. |
| "I strongly maintain I have complied with the letter and spirit of the law and I think Gordon Brown has done the same." | "I strongly maintain I have complied with the letter and spirit of the law and I think Gordon Brown has done the same." |
| And No 10 has sought to play down reports of a Cabinet rift over the donations. | And No 10 has sought to play down reports of a Cabinet rift over the donations. |
| 'Mind-blowing' | 'Mind-blowing' |
| The prime minister's official spokeswoman said: "The prime minister is fully focused on the business of government and has made clear he is keen that all the issues regarding party political donations are investigated thoroughly." | The prime minister's official spokeswoman said: "The prime minister is fully focused on the business of government and has made clear he is keen that all the issues regarding party political donations are investigated thoroughly." |
| f Gordon Brown had had even a sniff that this was going on, he would have stopped it immediately, as would have I Jack Straw, Justice Secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7121013.stm">Q&A: Legal implications class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7119250.stm">Timeline: Donations row | |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw has insisted "99.9%" of people in the Labour Party - including both Mr Brown and himself - knew nothing about the secret donations. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw has insisted "99.9%" of people in the Labour Party - including both Mr Brown and himself - knew nothing about the secret donations. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the situation was "mind-blowing". | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the situation was "mind-blowing". |
| "Gordon Brown had absolutely no knowledge of any connection - inappropriate connection - between Mr Abrahams and Mrs Kidd. Neither did I. | "Gordon Brown had absolutely no knowledge of any connection - inappropriate connection - between Mr Abrahams and Mrs Kidd. Neither did I. |
| "Neither, to the best of my knowledge - although I accept this is ultimately a matter for these inquiries - did any member of the immediate campaign team involved or the other campaigns." | "Neither, to the best of my knowledge - although I accept this is ultimately a matter for these inquiries - did any member of the immediate campaign team involved or the other campaigns." |
| He added: "If Gordon Brown had had even a sniff that this was going on, he would have stopped it immediately, as would have I." | He added: "If Gordon Brown had had even a sniff that this was going on, he would have stopped it immediately, as would have I." |
| 'Unprompted' cheque | 'Unprompted' cheque |
| Ms Harman's campaign team accepted £5,000 from Mrs Kidd in July - the month after she won the deputy leadership contest. | Ms Harman's campaign team accepted £5,000 from Mrs Kidd in July - the month after she won the deputy leadership contest. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Get on and run the country Mr Gordon Brown or we require someone else Heather, Bexhill Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Get on and run the country Mr Gordon Brown or we require someone else Heather, Bexhill Send us your comments |
| The BBC has learned this money was used to pay off debts accrued during campaigning. | The BBC has learned this money was used to pay off debts accrued during campaigning. |
| Mr Leslie said Mrs Kidd had been suggested as a possible donor by Mr Abrahams. | Mr Leslie said Mrs Kidd had been suggested as a possible donor by Mr Abrahams. |
| But when she sent an "unprompted" cheque for £5,000 Mr Leslie destroyed because the campaign team did not know who she was. | But when she sent an "unprompted" cheque for £5,000 Mr Leslie destroyed because the campaign team did not know who she was. |
| He did however suggest Mrs Kidd as a possible donor when Ms Harman's campaign team asked him for help. | He did however suggest Mrs Kidd as a possible donor when Ms Harman's campaign team asked him for help. |
| "I passed them the details of Mrs Kidd as someone whose offer of a donation we had not taken up," Mr Leslie said. | "I passed them the details of Mrs Kidd as someone whose offer of a donation we had not taken up," Mr Leslie said. |
| Cheque destroyed | Cheque destroyed |
| In law, details of any donor making gifts through a third party must be registered and reported to the Electoral Commission. The commission has asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate. | In law, details of any donor making gifts through a third party must be registered and reported to the Electoral Commission. The commission has asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate. |
| The Electoral Commission has now decided to refer matters to the Metropolitan Police for further investigation. The next step is for us to receive and review their reference report Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair In full: Met Police response Chris Leslie: Full statement | The Electoral Commission has now decided to refer matters to the Metropolitan Police for further investigation. The next step is for us to receive and review their reference report Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair In full: Met Police response Chris Leslie: Full statement |
| One of Ms Harman's rival contenders, Hilary Benn, turned down £5,000 from Mrs Kidd, because he had been told it was actually from Mr Abrahams. He later accepted it under Mr Abrahams' name. | One of Ms Harman's rival contenders, Hilary Benn, turned down £5,000 from Mrs Kidd, because he had been told it was actually from Mr Abrahams. He later accepted it under Mr Abrahams' name. |
| Mr Abrahams has said he did not know he was breaking any rules when he made the donations by proxy, claiming that he kept them secret to avoid publicity. | Mr Abrahams has said he did not know he was breaking any rules when he made the donations by proxy, claiming that he kept them secret to avoid publicity. |
| Labour's general secretary Peter Watt has already resigned, saying he knew about Mr Abrahams' funding arrangement, but did not think they had broken the rules. | Labour's general secretary Peter Watt has already resigned, saying he knew about Mr Abrahams' funding arrangement, but did not think they had broken the rules. |
| Labour's chief fundraiser, Jon Mendelsohn, has said Mr Watt told him about the situation last month but had been unhappy about it and had contacted Mr Abrahams with the intention of putting his donations on a proper footing. | Labour's chief fundraiser, Jon Mendelsohn, has said Mr Watt told him about the situation last month but had been unhappy about it and had contacted Mr Abrahams with the intention of putting his donations on a proper footing. |
| The Metropolitan Police recently completed the 19-month, £1.4m "cash-for-honours" investigation into party funding. | The Metropolitan Police recently completed the 19-month, £1.4m "cash-for-honours" investigation into party funding. |
| That inquiry, which cast a shadow over Tony Blair's final months as prime minister, ended with no charges being brought. | That inquiry, which cast a shadow over Tony Blair's final months as prime minister, ended with no charges being brought. |