Party leaders declared gifts late

Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg both face a rebuke from the commission

Tory leader David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg are among 14 MPs facing a reprimand for declaring donations too late.

The Electoral Commission notes a £7,285 helicopter flight donated to Mr Cameron in 2005 and six donations worth £14,490 to Mr Clegg, dating back to 2006.

MPs have to register donations over £1,000 within 30 days.

Both Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg blamed an oversight and said they had reported the details to the Commons authorities.

The latest update from the Electoral Commission also includes two cash donations worth £7,400 to Chris Huhne - Mr Clegg's rival for the Lib Dem leadership - from November last year.

'Silly mistake'

Mr Cameron's helicopter ride was a gift from his father-in-law Viscount Astor, during his successful Tory leadership campaign. He admitted last month that it had been an oversight - although he had declared it on the Commons Register of Members' Interests.

His spokesman said: "As soon as this omission was brought to David's attention he corrected his entry in the Electoral Commission register."

I corrected it and of course it won't happen again Nick Clegg Lib Dem leader

Mr Clegg also told the BBC he had declared the six donations to the Register of Members Interests but due to a "silly mistake" had not done so to the Electoral Commission as well.

"I think I'm like many MPs - we are learning that declarations need to be made not only to one place but to two places and in this instance it didn't happen. I corrected it and of course it won't happen again."

The declaration process is expected to be simplified for MPs in future, so they do not have to "double report" gifts to both the Commons and the commission.

Instead the commission is likely to take data directly from the members' register.

Last week, Mr Clegg was reprimanded for being late in registering £15,000 in payments for his leadership campaign and Mr Cameron's constituency office was also rapped for declaring a £1,500 donation nearly two years late.

Electoral Commission chief executive Peter Wardle has said it is "unacceptable" that major parties keep reporting donations late - as it is "fundamental in ensuring transparency in our democracy".

The latest figures also show the Conservative MP Boris Johnson raised £87,600 towards his campaign to become mayor of London, between 18 January and 8 February - bringing his total to £339,000 since September.