Lord Haskins expelled from the Labour Party

11.47.12am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Sep 2005

Lord Haskins, the industrialist and one of New Labour's biggest donors, is to be expelled from the party. Lord Haskins made a donation to new Liberal Democrats MP Danny Alexander at the General Election.

Lord Haskins has defended his decision to back Mr Alexander, who is a friend by telling the Guardian "Personal friendship is more important than party loyalty."

Oddly in this situation I have sympathy for both the Labour Party and Lord Haskins, its a strange situation to be a member of one Party and (financially) support a candidate of another. On balance I think Lord Haskins may well be in the right.