'Probe Plaid fundraiser' call

A visit to the Commons often involves a long queue

Plaid Cymru is facing calls for an investigation into one of the ways it raises money.

The party has been offering its members help to obtain tickets for the House of Commons - which are usually free - if they sign up for an exclusive club.

Labour MPs want the Speaker to investigate the scheme which raised almost £12,000 last year.

"No big money-spinner" : Elfyn Llwyd MP

Plaid's "President's Club" - set up to raise party funds - offers assistance in obtaining tickets to the Commons for £15 a month.

The club also offers other perks - such as access to Ieuan Wyn Jones's "hotline" numbers and a Christmas card from him.

The President's Club generated almost £12,000 for the party last year.

The Labour MP for Caerphilly, Wayne David, said he felt it was wrong for parties to use the Commons in this way. He said he would be writing to the Speaker to ask him to stop Plaid Cymru supplying tickets in this way.

Denial

"Cash for questions is one thing, but cash for access is something else again," he said.

But Plaid's Elfyn Llwyd said the party had done nothing wrong, and denied the scheme was a way to make money fast.

"It's not exactly the biggest money-spinner, I can assure you," he said.

And he gave an assurance that any member of the public - whether a contributor to the party coffers or not - would be given help if they required tickets.

MPs are given two tickets each a month to the public gallery at Westminster. Voters without tickets face lengthy queues outside the Commons.

Last week, the Plaid Cymru MP Simon Thomas tabled a Commons motion urging political parties to use "ethical and moral judgement" in fund-raising.