low graphics version | feedback | help
| Front Page World UK |
| UK Politics |
|
Talking Politics Diary People in Parliament A-Z of Parliament Political Links |
| Business Sci/Tech Health Education Sport Entertainment Talking Point In Depth Audio/Video |
|
 The BBC's Carole Walker"The editor of The Times said it was an astonishing outburst to distract from their story"  real 28k The Times' Peter Stothard"We got the information in the absolutely normal way" real 28kThe BBC's Carole Walker"This whole affair appears to be dirty tricks"  real 28k |
Tories in 'foreign donation' storm
Michael Ashcroft is the party's largest donor |
The Conservative Party has called in the police to investigate the alleged hacking of its private bank accounts amid revelations about massive donations from the party's treasurer, Michael Ashcroft.
The party denied wrongdoing over the £1m-a-year fund, channelled through the Belize Bank Trust. It argued details in The Times proved that its Royal Bank of Scotland accounts had been seen.
Tory Party Chairman Michael Ancram claimed a "dirty tricks" campaign existed against Mr Ashcroft and the Conservative Party.
Although the existence of the donations had already been widely reported, Mr Ancram said that the new details about how the money had been transferred must have been obtained illegally.
Peter Stothard: Tories have broken their own rules on foreign donations |
"I am pretty clear in my own mind that can only have been accessed illegally."
The Times says the donations would be in breach of proposed new rules on the overseas funding of parties and flout a 1997 pledge from leader William Hague to outlaw foreign donations.
The newspaper - which was already being sued for libel by Mr Ashcroft - has also denied any wrongdoing.
Editor Peter Stothard said: "This information came in the normal course of our inquiries. We did nothing illegal to acquire it."
Data Protection Registrar Elizabeth France said she had not yet received a complaint asking her to investigate.
"From what I have heard so far it is very difficult to establish whether there has been any offence at all or even any evidence that would give a lead to an investigation," she said.
But the Conservatives, already battered by the Lord Archer controversy, say all Mr Ashcroft's donations were made in full accordance with party guidelines.
Mr Ashcroft is a billionaire who holds dual UK and Belize citizenship, who lives for many months a year as in Central America. A spokesman for the treasurer on Wednesday said he was registered in Maidenhead as an overseas voter.
 There is a climate of fear being created in Britain today. Dissidents are being silenced. Opponents are being smeared  |
| Michael Ancram, Conservative Party Chairman |
Mr Ancram said the real story was the "politically-motivated conspiracy" which led to the allegations.
"This appears to be but the latest of a series of dirty tricks being perpetrated by those who will stop at nothing in order to keep this government in power," he said in an initial statement.
"There is a climate of fear being created in Britain today. Dissidents are being silenced. Opponents are being smeared.
"Now private bank accounts are hacked into in order to discredit and destroy anyone who stands in the way of this government's lust for power."
Mr Aschroft lives in tax exile in Belize |
Labour challenged the Tories to provide evidence before insinuating any involvement in the episode by the party.
Cabinet Office minister Ian McCartney said: "The Tory's A-Team - Archer, Aitken and Ashcroft - show the true face of today's Tories. One's in the doghouse, one's in the jailhouse and one's in the counting house."
The latest storm follows a long-running row about party funding in general and particularly donations from Mr Ashcroft, the Conservative's biggest single donor.
William Hague cannot be trusted to put his own house in order |
| Cabinet Office Minister Ian McCartney |
Legislation outlawing foreign trust donations is expected to be approved by Parliament within the coming year.
In July, Mr Ashcroft issued a libel writ against The Times, over a series of allegations about his business interests which were also raised in the House of Commons.
The move came after one Labour MP used parliamentary privilege - which allows MPs to make statements without fear of libel proceedings - to detail allegations apparently from US agencies' files.
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
|
| BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
|
| BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
|
|
See also: |
|
 |
|
 |
16 Jul 99 | UK Politics |
|
Ashcroft: The Tories' troublesome tycoon |
| |
|
|
24 Nov 99 | UK Politics |
|
The rules on foreign cash |
| |
|
|
27 Jul 99 | UK Politics |
|
Political donations shake-up |
| |
|
|
29 Sep 99 | UK Politics |
|
Increase in Tory donors |
| |
|
|
21 Jul 99 | UK Politics |
|
Ashcroft row explodes in Parliament |
| |
|
|
13 Jul 99 | UK Politics |
|
Tories defend party treasurer |
| |
|
|
17 Jul 99 | UK Politics |
|
Ashcroft denies drug trafficking claims |
| |
|
|
Internet links: |
|
|
|
|
|
The Conservative Party |
| |
|
|
The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee |
| |
|
|
The Times |
| |
|
|
Royal Bank of Scotland |
| |
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites |
|
Links to other UK Politics stories are at the foot of the page.
E-mail this story to a friend
~RS~a~RS~international~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~52~RS~)