Monday, March 26, 2007

Brown Scandal Returns to Haunt LibDems

If the LibDems thought that the Michael Brown scandal had gone away this morning's Times will have given them a jolt. A pensioner is claiming that the £155,000 he gave to Michael Brown to invest for him, actually ended up in LibDem coffers. It has also emerged that the LibDems' second biggest donor, Paul Strasburger, is funding Michael Brown's legal fees. The stories are HERE and HERE. Meanwhile the Electoral Commission investigation into the admissability of Brown's loan awaits the verdict of the City of London Police.

Not, of course, that this has anything to do with the LibDems at all. No, Sirree. Never let it be said. Whiter than white. Yellower than yellow [enough - ed].

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

A look at Lib Dem election expense returns for general elections in marginal seats over the last few general elections will show:

a) they are not whiter than white
b) they know more than Lord Cashpoint about 'creative accounting'
c) they are a bunch of hypocritical cheats

Anonymous said...

Your last two posts have been green, brown and yellow - can you sing a rainbow?

Colin D said...

Is there truthfulness anywhere across the political spectrum?

Anonymous said...

Colin, HOW DARE YOU!!!! The Conservatives funding is totally transparent and utterly legit in EVERY WAY. Don't you EVER question it again!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Are anyone other than the Times gonna publish stories on this??

Anonymous said...

With the Lib Dems is not just about their funding but they way they spend their money and the fraud they commit in their election expenses return

Trubes said...

Should have a look at the LibDems on Liverpool City Council-three members of same family + another prospective councillor of said family ; Husband and wife team also!Is this nepotism ? It`s about time we had some Conservative representation here in Liverpool,a chap called Chris Lighten is standing in May I have met with him and several party members along with Chris Grayling MP shadow transport minister.I truly believe he will do a good job at council level and shake some of the LibDems out of their comfy council seats !

Anonymous said...

True Blue - if you need a help canvassing and have a Campaign Day planned why don't you leave a comment so we can all pop up to help get rid of the lying, cheating LD's

Anonymous said...

lib dem fraud - your link seems to go to Taunton Lib Dems, Jeremy Browne, are you trying to tell us something? If so just spit it out, I'm sure we'll all chip in for your legal team!!!!

Anonymous said...

I suspect that 'Lib Dem Fraud' is the same bitter Tory loser who a few days a go was claiming Jeremy Browne was going to defect to the Tories. You lost Taunton, it hurt, but please grow up.

Inamicus said...

Hmmm ... lets look at the facts. "Pensioner" living in £650,000 house invests £155,000 in MB's company... hardly sounds like he's on the breadline. Quite what this has got to do with the Lib Dems, god alone knows.

The Times have an axe to grind on this issue and want to keep the story running.

Iain Dale said...

Inamicus, no, obviously nothing to do with the LibDems at all. Apart from the fact that they have his money. So that's alright then.

Anonymous said...

Iain, talking about funding scandals coming back to haunt people, isn't time to revisit that post of a month ago when you were advocating the taxpayer bailing out the Great Olympic Farce http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2007/02/cost-of-olympics.html

You did promise exploring the 100% unfavourable response the comments section received, when you 'had more time'

Anonymous said...

4.46 pm Iain Dale

Yeah Lib Dems.

Why won't you dig in your coffers and give the money back?

Don't tell us you've spent it.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps it's time for another poll asking Liberal Democrat members if they think that the money ought to be given back? It seems most members feel that the money is tainted and grubby, and most saw precious little of it anyway. Wasn't there a poll asking just that question of members and it concluded yes they should give the money back?

As for the creative accounting I think many ordinary members are perfectly decent and honest about the returns they submit. Unfortunatly decency and honesty are not qualities held dear by some. Those involved in this sordid little mess who still have jobs and hold office at senior levels have long ignored pleas for openness and transparency.

Tristan said...

*sighs*

A man makes a bad investment. In fact a stupid one.

He gets bitten.

He then wants reparations.

The LibDems were stupid to take Brown's money, but they did not knowingly break any laws or rules, unlike certain Tories and Labour members...

I know Iain is desperate to smear the LibDems, makes the Tories look a bit better, but come on.

Give me an example of senior LibDems deliberately flouting the rules on fund raising and I will take that seriously, but a pensioner who made a bad investment? He was stupid.

Anonymous said...

With accounting like that (and with due deference to the clunking fist) perhaps the LumpDims are in fact "Browner than Brown".

(Certainly, undergarments may fit that description when the Electoral Commission finally come to call)

Anonymous said...

After reading the headline I thought Mark Oaten had made a comeback?

Anonymous said...

Mark Senior said...
"I am sure Iain would equally support any investors in Polly Peck who would want to claim some of their losses back from the Conservatives Party out of the money given by Asil Nadir"

I am sure they would, but as Polly Peck was a listed company, with audited accounts, thousands of shareholders, thousands of employees, hundreds of millions in stated profits, several rights issues, multiple brand names (Polly Peck, Matsui and del Monte) both the investors and the Conservative Party could justifiably say that they were dealing with a real business and a major business man. None of the above apply in the case of 5th Avenue Partners.

One might wonder why the second largest donor to the Lib dems should be so eager to help the largest donor to the Lib Dems. Could it be that this is the best chance the Lib Dems have of hanging on to the money, although they don't want to get involved themselves? If Brown loses then the Lib Dems will be passing the hat round to their major donors, so the donors are throwing money at the problem to try to prevent a later cash call.

Or it could just be a question of affinity between Lib Dem donors - ha, ha, ha.

Trubes said...

Anonymous:3.47pm re- help canvassing for Chris Lighten (prospective Conservative Councillor Liverpool). Get in touch with The Liverpool Conservatives or Chris`s office.Not wise to post information as the lying,cheating NuLab rent-a-mob may muscle in too !

Louise Baldock said...

Just popping on to say that in the Warbreck byelection in north Liverpool on Sept 13th 2007, the Tories secured 1.2% of the vote and came 7th.

In the 1980s all three councillors were Tory in this ward which has some strong middle-class parts to it.

Labour won the seat from the LibDems with a 30% swing.
Doesnt look like the comeback is on its way any time soon.

Chris Lighten or not.

And he had been a Labour Party member for about a year until about February, so not exactly a conviction politician.