This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7185622.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Cameron warns Hain over donations Cameron warns Hain over donations
(about 2 hours later)
David Cameron has warned Peter Hain's "time will be up" if he fails to answer all questions about his failure to declare £103,000 of donations.David Cameron has warned Peter Hain's "time will be up" if he fails to answer all questions about his failure to declare £103,000 of donations.
The Tory leader said Work and Pensions and Welsh Secretary Mr Hain "will have to go", if he cannot explain himself.The Tory leader said Work and Pensions and Welsh Secretary Mr Hain "will have to go", if he cannot explain himself.
Mr Hain blamed "poor administration" for failing to declare the donations to his Labour deputy leader bid last year. Mr Hain blamed poor administration for failing to declare the donations to his Labour deputy leader bid last year.
Mr Cameron defended shadow chancellor George Osborne, who is accused of not properly declaring £487,000. Labour MP Don Touhig defended him as a "damn good" minister but Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd said he should go.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Osborne did not declare the donations towards running his shadow ministerial office to the Register of Members' Interests. In a statement on Saturday, Mr Hain, who came fifth out of six contenders in the race to succeed John Prescott last year, blamed poor administration for his failure to declare £103,000 in donations to the Electoral Commission - he did declare £82,000.
'Completely different' Think tank questions
But Mr Cameron told BBC One's Andrew Marr programme that was a "completely different" matter, as Mr Osborne had declared the money to the Electoral Commission.
Mr Cameron said the Conservatives had sought advice on whether to also declare the money to the members' register - and been effectively told they did not have to.
I think if he goes on like yesterday I think his time will be up David Cameron
"All these donations are declared and published by the Electoral Commission," he said.
In a statement on Saturday Mr Hain, who came fifth out of six contenders in the race to succeed John Prescott last year, blamed poor administration for his failure to declare £103,000 in donations to the Electoral Commission - he did declare £82,000.
But he said to suggest he had attempted to hide anything was "absurd" and said all those who had contributed were "eligible and legally entitled to do so".But he said to suggest he had attempted to hide anything was "absurd" and said all those who had contributed were "eligible and legally entitled to do so".
'Explain yourself'
He did not answer any questions following his statement - despite questions about the role of the Progressive Policies Forum think-tank, which channelled money to his deputy leadership bid.He did not answer any questions following his statement - despite questions about the role of the Progressive Policies Forum think-tank, which channelled money to his deputy leadership bid.
It's no good when all these questions are being asked just to sort of come out and read out a statement and then scurry back indoors again David Cameron
On Sunday, Mr Cameron told the BBC: "I think if he goes on like yesterday I think his time will be up.On Sunday, Mr Cameron told the BBC: "I think if he goes on like yesterday I think his time will be up.
George Osborne is a close friend of Tory leader David Cameron
"I think it's no good when all these questions are being asked just to sort of come out and read out a statement and then scurry back indoors again.""I think it's no good when all these questions are being asked just to sort of come out and read out a statement and then scurry back indoors again."
He added: "If I was in the prime minister's shoes I would say to Peter Hain: 'Look, you've got to get out there, you've got to explain yourself; you've got to answer all of the questions and if you can do that, then maybe your job is safe but if you can't you will have to go.'"He added: "If I was in the prime minister's shoes I would say to Peter Hain: 'Look, you've got to get out there, you've got to explain yourself; you've got to answer all of the questions and if you can do that, then maybe your job is safe but if you can't you will have to go.'"
'Administrative shortcomings' 'Foul up'
But on the same programme, Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch-Brown defended Mr Hain adding: "I think these so far are shown to be just administrative shortcomings and, as you've reported in this programme today, the shadow chancellor has similar problems. The Lib Dems' schools spokesman David Laws said that Mr Hain's position looked "increasingly unsustainable" and Plaid Cymru's Mr Llwyd repeated calls for Mr Hain to resign.
"It seems to me we've set up a party funding system which is set up to fail in a way." He told BBC Wales "I don't think yesterday's statement took us anywhere. We have yet to hear any information about this policy forum."
Schools Minister Jim Knight also told Sky News Mr Hain should not resign over what was "an administrative problem". George Osborne is a close friend of Tory leader David Cameron
But the Lib Dems' schools spokesman David Laws said that Mr Hain's position looked "increasingly unsustainable". But Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch-Brown told the Andrew Marr programme: "I think these so far are shown to be just administrative shortcomings and, as you've reported in this programme today, the shadow chancellor has similar problems."
Schools Minister Jim Knight also told Sky News Mr Hain should not resign over what was "an administrative problem" and Labour MP Mr Touhig said Mr Hain did not deserve to have his record in office "wiped out" because of a "foul up", to which he had admitted.
The problems with donations to Mr Hain's campaign emerged at the end of November, amid a separate row involving donations by proxy to the Labour Party over several years.The problems with donations to Mr Hain's campaign emerged at the end of November, amid a separate row involving donations by proxy to the Labour Party over several years.
This is yet another example of the hypocrisy of the Tory party Labour MP Kevan Jones class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4045&edition=1">Send us your comments 'Completely different'
He said he had discovered a £5,000 donation to his deputy leadership bid had not been properly declared but days later said other donations had not been properly reported either.He said he had discovered a £5,000 donation to his deputy leadership bid had not been properly declared but days later said other donations had not been properly reported either.
Last week he gave a full list of undeclared donations to the Electoral Commission, totalling £103,156.Last week he gave a full list of undeclared donations to the Electoral Commission, totalling £103,156.
Meanwhile Mr Osborne is reported to have received money from some of Britain's wealthiest people to help run his shadow ministerial office. This is yet another example of the hypocrisy of the Tory party Labour MP Kevan Jones class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4045&edition=1">Send us your comments
Opinion poll lead Meanwhile the Mail on Sunday has reported that shadow chancellor George Osborne did not declare £487,000 of donations towards running his shadow ministerial office to the Register of Members' Interests.
But Mr Cameron said that was a "completely different" matter, as the money had been declared to, and published by, the Electoral Commission.
The funds are said to have been channelled to Mr Osborne's office through Conservative headquarters after the donors requested he received a specific sum.The funds are said to have been channelled to Mr Osborne's office through Conservative headquarters after the donors requested he received a specific sum.
Mr Cameron said steps were taken to check where the donations had to be declared with Commons officials and they had been told "effectively, they don't need to be declared". Opinion poll lead
Mr Cameron said the Conservatives had sought advice from Commons officials on whether to also declare the money to the members' register - and been effectively told they did not have to.
Mr Osborne is now seeking a ruling from the Commons standards committee on the matter.Mr Osborne is now seeking a ruling from the Commons standards committee on the matter.
But Labour MP Kevan Jones told the Mail on Sunday: "This is yet another example of the hypocrisy of the Tory party, who lecture others on probity and donations yet have myriad scams disguising the true funders of their party."But Labour MP Kevan Jones told the Mail on Sunday: "This is yet another example of the hypocrisy of the Tory party, who lecture others on probity and donations yet have myriad scams disguising the true funders of their party."
Meanwhile a poll in the Sunday Times suggests the Conservatives have doubled their lead over Labour in the last two weeks, to 10 points.Meanwhile a poll in the Sunday Times suggests the Conservatives have doubled their lead over Labour in the last two weeks, to 10 points.
The Yougov online survey of 2,139 electors on 10 and 11 January put the Tories on 43%, Labour on 33% and the Lib Dems on 14%.The Yougov online survey of 2,139 electors on 10 and 11 January put the Tories on 43%, Labour on 33% and the Lib Dems on 14%.