BBC News Online: World: Europe

Formula-1 controversy returns to haunt Blair

There's renewed political controversy in Britain over a one-million-pound donation to the governing Labour Party.

The opposition Conservatives have demanded a parliamentary investigation, after a new book by a political journalist -- Andrew Rawnsley of The Observer newspaper -- accused the prime minister, Tony Blair, and his finance minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, of pretending ignorance of the donation -- made in 1997 by the head of Formula-One motor racing, Bernie Ecclestone.

The denials by Mr Blair and Mr Brown came after Formula-One was exempted from a ban on tobacco advertising, on which much of its income depends.

Both men have denied the allegation that they lied. Correspondents say the row comes at a bad time for Labour, which has already lost popularity following the protests over fuel prices.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service