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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hain 'sorry' for donation errors | Hain 'sorry' for donation errors |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Cabinet minister Peter Hain has apologised for failing to register some of the donations given to his Labour deputy leadership campaign. | Cabinet minister Peter Hain has apologised for failing to register some of the donations given to his Labour deputy leadership campaign. |
| The Work and Pensions Secretary said he blamed "administrative failings", which he described as "deeply regrettable". | The Work and Pensions Secretary said he blamed "administrative failings", which he described as "deeply regrettable". |
| Although he declared donations of £82,000, the Guardian newspaper claims the real figure may be over £100,000. | Although he declared donations of £82,000, the Guardian newspaper claims the real figure may be over £100,000. |
| Mr Hain said he had undertaken a full audit and would be providing the details to the Electoral Commission. | Mr Hain said he had undertaken a full audit and would be providing the details to the Electoral Commission. |
| Campaign dinner | Campaign dinner |
| The Neath MP, who is also Welsh Secretary, revealed at the end of November that he had failed to register a £5,000 donation from Jon Mendelsohn, Labour's chief fundraiser. | The Neath MP, who is also Welsh Secretary, revealed at the end of November that he had failed to register a £5,000 donation from Jon Mendelsohn, Labour's chief fundraiser. |
| Then at the beginning of December, Mr Hain said other donations to his campaign "were not registered as they should have been", including a £1,300 campaign dinner. | Then at the beginning of December, Mr Hain said other donations to his campaign "were not registered as they should have been", including a £1,300 campaign dinner. |
| At the time, he said he was reviewing all campaign donations and would be submitting a full declaration to the Electoral Commission. | At the time, he said he was reviewing all campaign donations and would be submitting a full declaration to the Electoral Commission. |
| I reiterate that this is deeply regrettable and I sincerely apologise Peter HainWork and Pensions Secretary | I reiterate that this is deeply regrettable and I sincerely apologise Peter HainWork and Pensions Secretary |
| The Guardian claims Mr Hain discovered that no donations had been registered after 4 May last year - six weeks before the deputy leadership contest ended. | The Guardian claims Mr Hain discovered that no donations had been registered after 4 May last year - six weeks before the deputy leadership contest ended. |
| In a fresh statement following the Guardian's allegations, Mr Hain said: "As I said in December, as a result of administrative failings within my campaign there were donations to my deputy leadership bid which were not registered within the normal time, to the Electoral Commission. | In a fresh statement following the Guardian's allegations, Mr Hain said: "As I said in December, as a result of administrative failings within my campaign there were donations to my deputy leadership bid which were not registered within the normal time, to the Electoral Commission. |
| "Since December I have undertaken a full audit of all donations to the campaign and have agreed with the Electoral Commission to provide the details of these late declarations to them, by the middle of January. | "Since December I have undertaken a full audit of all donations to the campaign and have agreed with the Electoral Commission to provide the details of these late declarations to them, by the middle of January. |
| "I reiterate that this is deeply regrettable and I sincerely apologise." | "I reiterate that this is deeply regrettable and I sincerely apologise." |
| Steve Morgan, who chaired Mr Hain's deputy leadership campaign, told BBC Radio Wales: "The issue here is how will all of us manage with donations that come into a campaign after the campaign has officially closed down? | Steve Morgan, who chaired Mr Hain's deputy leadership campaign, told BBC Radio Wales: "The issue here is how will all of us manage with donations that come into a campaign after the campaign has officially closed down? |
| "Peter has been very open about this whole process - more so than most - and I think he's been fully co-operative with the Electoral Commission over some of these key issues, which none of us have experienced before. Donations in kind being one of them." | "Peter has been very open about this whole process - more so than most - and I think he's been fully co-operative with the Electoral Commission over some of these key issues, which none of us have experienced before. Donations in kind being one of them." |
| Website endorsement | |
| The Electoral Commission told the BBC that it has discussed the campaign's donations with Mr Hain personally and with his office. | The Electoral Commission told the BBC that it has discussed the campaign's donations with Mr Hain personally and with his office. |
| However, it would not confirm whether a date had been set for the re-submission of the accounts. | However, it would not confirm whether a date had been set for the re-submission of the accounts. |
| Meanwhile, a spokesman for Mr Hain has confirmed that he took a donation from Welsh finance company Picture Financial Services, which features an endorsement from him on its website. | |
| Mr Hain congratulated the firm in August 2005, in his capacity as Secretary of State for Wales, for creating 200 jobs. Then 14 months later, its chief executive Neville Allport, gave a donation to Mr Hain's deputy leadership campaign. | |
| Deputy race | |
| A spokeswoman for the company says that he gave the money in a personal capacity and had not been approached by Mr Hain's team for the donation. | |
| Mr Hain's spokesman strongly disputes any suggestion that the donation was linked to the endorsement and said it was normal for the Welsh Secretary to congratulate companies in this way. | |
| BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said Mr Allport had been an acquaintance of Mr Hain's for several years. | |
| Mr Hain was one of six contenders for Labour's deputy leadership, which was eventually won by Harriet Harman. | Mr Hain was one of six contenders for Labour's deputy leadership, which was eventually won by Harriet Harman. |
| A police inquiry is under way into proxy donations of more than £650,000 given to the Labour Party by property developer David Abrahams since 2003. | A police inquiry is under way into proxy donations of more than £650,000 given to the Labour Party by property developer David Abrahams since 2003. |
| Mr Abrahams' donations broke electoral law because people must use their own names when giving more than £5,000 to political parties. | Mr Abrahams' donations broke electoral law because people must use their own names when giving more than £5,000 to political parties. |