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/7211465.stm

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Labour hit by new donations row Labour faces new donations claim
(about 3 hours later)
Health Secretary Alan Johnson is the latest minister to become embroiled in controversy over donations. Health Secretary Alan Johnson has been accused of accepting a donation channelled through a third party during Labour's deputy leadership contest.
The Sunday Mirror claims his deputy leadership campaign received £3,334 from a man who was given the money by his brother, a Labour Party official. The Sunday Mirror says Mr Johnson's 2007 campaign received £3,334 from a man who wrote a cheque on behalf of his brother, a local Labour Party official.
This was one of four undeclared donations totalling more than £9,000 received by Mr Johnson's fund, it says.
But his team denies wrongdoing, saying all money was checked and registered.
The paper says Waseem Siddiqui was used to channel the gift to Mr Johnson's failed campaign.The paper says Waseem Siddiqui was used to channel the gift to Mr Johnson's failed campaign.
But Mr Johnson's team denies any wrongdoing, saying the donation was checked and registered correctly. A statement from Mr Johnson's deputy leadership campaign team said: "We had no reason to believe the donation came from anyone other than (Mr Siddiqui).
A statement from Mr Johnson's deputy leadership campaign said: "We had no reason to believe the donation came from anyone other than (Mr Siddiqui).
'Checked and registered''Checked and registered'
"We checked he was a member of the Labour Party and was on the Electoral Register and we registered the donation with the Labour Party, the Register of Members' Interests and the Electoral Commission." "We checked he was a member of the Labour Party and was on the Electoral Register and we registered the donation with the Labour Party, the register of members' interests and the Electoral Commission."
The allegations come days after Peter Hain was forced to quit his cabinet posts over a donations row. The allegations come days after Peter Hain quit his cabinet posts over a donations row.
Mr Hain resigned as work and pensions secretary and Wales secretary after the Electoral Commission, which is investigating more than £100,000 of undeclared donations to his deputy Labour leadership campaign, passed the case to police.Mr Hain resigned as work and pensions secretary and Wales secretary after the Electoral Commission, which is investigating more than £100,000 of undeclared donations to his deputy Labour leadership campaign, passed the case to police.
The Sunday Mirror points to four donations, totalling more than £9,000, which were made to Mr Johnson's deputy leadership campaign between April and July last year but were not declared to the Electoral Commission in time. The Sunday Mirror points to four donations which were made to Mr Johnson's deputy leadership campaign between April and July last year but were not declared to the Electoral Commission in time.
This news represents another damaging blow to Gordon Brown's 'new politics' Liberal Democrat Norman BakerThis news represents another damaging blow to Gordon Brown's 'new politics' Liberal Democrat Norman Baker
BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabati said donations have to be declared within two months of receipt and it was against the law for someone to donate money on behalf of another person. Donations have to be declared within two months of receipt and it is against the law for someone to donate money on behalf of another person.
She said: "Giving money through an intermediary is against the law. Donations are meant to be transparent and their real source should be identified. BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabati said: "Donations are meant to be transparent and their real source should be identified.
"The donation controversy has dogged Gordon Brown's government. Cabinet minister Peter Hain resigned last week over the issue and the Labour Party is being investigated by police over donations made by property developer David Abrahams.""The donation controversy has dogged Gordon Brown's government. Cabinet minister Peter Hain resigned last week over the issue and the Labour Party is being investigated by police over donations made by property developer David Abrahams."
The statement from Mr Johnson's campaign team confirmed that the four donations - including that from Mr Siddiqui - had not appeared on the Electoral Commission's register but insisted the paperwork had been filed on time. The statement from Mr Johnson's campaign team confirmed that the four donations - including the one from Mr Siddiqui - had not appeared on the Electoral Commission's register but insisted the paperwork had been filed on time.
It also said the campaign team had met the Commission in early December to discuss why the donations were not listed on its website. It also said the campaign team had met the commission in early December to discuss why the donations were not listed on its website.
Permissibility checks 'Permissibility checks'
An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said permissibility checks were carried out on all declared donations before they were added to its register and the aim was to complete those checks within 20 days.An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said permissibility checks were carried out on all declared donations before they were added to its register and the aim was to complete those checks within 20 days.
The Sunday Mirror claims that Mr Siddiqui, 50, was asked to write the cheque by his brother Ahmed Yar Mohammed - treasurer of Croydon Central Labour Party. The Sunday Mirror claims that Mr Siddiqui, 50, was asked to write the cheque by his brother Ahmed Yar Mohammed, who is treasurer of Croydon Central Labour Party.
Mr Siddiqui told the newspaper he did not know who the health secretary was and that he joined the Labour Party as a student member in March last year, on the advice of his brother. Mr Siddiqui told the newspaper he did not know who the health secretary was and that he had joined the Labour Party as a student member in March last year, on the advice of his brother.
He is said to be a Pakistani who has been living in Croydon, Surrey, on a student visa for the past three years.He is said to be a Pakistani who has been living in Croydon, Surrey, on a student visa for the past three years.
Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Baker said: "This news represents another damaging blow to Gordon Brown's 'new politics'.Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Baker said: "This news represents another damaging blow to Gordon Brown's 'new politics'.
"This is another murky situation which will need to be properly investigated if confidence is to be restored.""This is another murky situation which will need to be properly investigated if confidence is to be restored."