MP demands details of Tory donors

The Conservative Party’s principal treasurer Peter Cruddas quit yesterday after it emerged he had claimed major donations could result in meetings with senior cabinet ministers.

Mr Cameron described this as “completely unacceptable” yesterday as he promised an internal party inquiry. “This is not the way that we raise money in the Conservative Party, it shouldn’t have happened.

“It’s quite right that Peter Cruddas has resigned. I will make sure there is a proper party inquiry to make sure this can’t happen again.”

But his pledge failed to appease opposition MPs and Labour’s Shadow Minister Without Portfolio and Barnsley East MP Michael Dugher wrote to Mr Cameron demanding he reveal details of which donors to the Conservative Party had been given access and “what policy representations” had been made.

“You said that you would ensure there was ‘a proper party inquiry’ into these matters,” he said. “However, given the seriousness of the allegations about how Government is conducted, it is not appropriate for the Conservative Party to investigate itself. We need a full, independent inquiry.“

According to reports, Mr Cruddas believed any prospective donations from the undercover reporters who posed as wealthy executives would have come from Liechtenstein and would be ineligible under election law. They are said to have discussed the creation of a British subsidiary and the possibility of using UK employees to make the donation.

Major donors are invited to private dinners and other events with Mr Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne and Foreign Secretary William Hague, he claimed.

Asked about funding reform, Mr Cameron was non-committal, stressing he had already addressed issues within the Conservative Party.

“We’ve reformed party funding. I took over a party with £20m of debt. It’s now virtually debt-free,” he said. “We’ve massively broadened our supporter base. We have very strict rules, very strict compliance, and I’m going to make sure that the rules are properly complied with in every case.”

Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and second most powerful Liberal Democrat in the Government, said the three main parties would be making a renewed effort on funding reform within the next few weeks.

He added: “What I would say is this makes the case for reforming the system of party funding in this country even stronger.

“Over the next few weeks the three parties will be getting round the table following on from an initiative by Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, to discuss how we can change the way party funding works to try and get the big money out of politics.”

In a statement yesterday, Mr Cruddas, who was replaced as principal treasurer by Tory peer Lord Fink, who held the role until earlier this month, said he regretted “any impression of impropriety arising from my bluster”.

“Clearly there is no question of donors being able to influence policy or gain undue access to politicians,” he said. “Specifically, it was categorically not the case that I could offer, or that David Cameron would consider, any access as a result of a donation. Similarly, I have never knowingly even met anyone from the Number 10 policy unit.”

Labour leader Ed Miliband said an independent investigation must establish “what influence was sought, what influence was gained, and what impact it had”.