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Tory: Ashcroft must go
Tories have rejected calls for an elected treasurer |
A Tory campaigner has renewed his calls for Michael Ashcroft to quit as party treasurer following the latest disclosures about the billionaire's massive donations to Conservative coffers.
John Strafford, chairman of the Campaign for Conservative Democracy, said that the new revelations added to the damage that the controversial tycoon had already done to the party's public image.
"It was utterly predictable and the publicity surrounding Ashcroft will continue until he does go," he said.
Mr Strafford insisted that Mr Ashcroft's replacement should be elected by party members rather than appointed by Tory leader William Hague.
And he attacked the party hierarchy claiming that its reaction to the latest disclosures was "verging on the hysterical".
His outburst came after party chairman Michael Ancram claimed revelations about the way in which Mr Ashcroft pays his annual £1m donation to the party was evidence of a "dirty tricks" campaign.
Mr Ancram has urged police to investigate where The Times obtained the information which he said could only have come from confidential bank statements.
The newspaper argued that the party had broken its own rules on not accepting foreign donations because Mr Ashcroft's donations were channelled through the Belize Bank Trust. It denied that it obtained the information illegally.
Michael Ashcroft: Suing over press claims |
Mr Ashcroft has brought a libel action against the newspaper over those claims.
In October Mr Strafford failed in his attempt to oust the tycoon at the Tory Party conference.
Delegates overwhelmingly rejected a motion which would have meant the treasurer was chosen by the party's membership rather than Mr Hague.
Mr Strafford has now said that Mr Ancram should also stand aside with Mr Ashcroft so that both posts can be put up for election.
"What should happen is that those at the top of the organisation that are appointed should stand aside and people should be elected to the positions of chairman and treasurer.
"And those people should democratically accountable to the membership of the party."
Mr Ancram denied that Mr Ashcroft was an embarrassment to the party.
He dismissed Mr Strafford as a "one-man band" whose views were not shared by the majority of Tories.
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23 Nov 99 | UK Politics |
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Tories in 'foreign donation' storm |
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05 Oct 99 | UK Politics |
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Tories reject elected treasurer |
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