Dodgy donations...

1.49.00pm GMT Mon 3rd Dec 2007

The furore over the dodgy donations continues with it appear more people may have know what was going on with these donations amongst the Labour leadership. It was not so long ago I and others were talking about the Midlands Industrial Council and how money was being channelled to the Conservative Party without it being clear who it was from.

I first wrote about the Midlands Industrial Council (MIC) in March 2006. Basically money was being channelled through the MIC as an Unincorporated Association. As an Unincorporated Association it can make donations to the Conservative Party and not have to declare the identities of the individuals involved - and this has been what it has done to the tune of at least £800,000. It got a little more confusing as if it was actually connected to the Conservative Party it would have not been allowed to do this and it was far from clear that it was independent. Eventually the names of the members of the MIC were released.

Frankly I think Conservatives making hay over this latest Labour scandal should double-check what their party has done in the past!

You can read more of the backstory at:

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000651/tory_peerage_scandal__the_wolverhampton_connection.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000887/police_question_edmiston_of_the_midlands_industrial_council_and_others.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000886/more_wolverhampton_conservative_sleaze.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000889/why_transparency_matters.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000891/read_the_sunday_times_and_watch_the_west_midlands_politics_show_on_sunday.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000902/midlands_industrial_council_members_named.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000904/why_transparency_in_party_funding_matters.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000906/wolverhampton_south_west_conservatives_and_the_midlands_industrial_council__a_conservative_writes.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000914/and_now_howard_is_questioned.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000987/party_funding_revisited.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/001001/more_on_conservative_cash.html

http://www.colin-ross.org.uk/news/000941/more_on_the_midlands_industrial_council__the_kirkbride_link.html