The Electoral Commission has now, I have discovered, reopened its investigation and hope to complete its inquiries before very long. The LibDems have maintained they did nothing wrong in accepting money from someone who they, at the time, thought was a permissible donor, even though it was clear from the most rudimentary of checks that Fifth Avenue Partners was not carrying on any meaningful businss activity in the UK.
Creditors of Michael Brown, such as former Manchester United Chairman Martin Edwards have threatened to sue the LibDems for the return of the money, which they say was not Brown's to donate.
Watch this space.
UPDATE: Apparently there was a written PQ on this last week.
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what progress the Electoral Commission has made in its investigation into the permissibility of donations by 5th Avenue Partners and Mr. Michael Brown to the Liberal Democrat Party. [271948]
Sir Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that the investigation into the permissibility of donations made to the Liberal Democrat party by 5th Avenue Partners is continuing. The Commission further informs me that its aim remains to conclude the investigation as quickly as possible, but that its priority must be to ensure that the process is fair and thorough.
25 comments:
I thought this was such a great story (LD Hubris, etc) that I have linked to it over at my site
http://thatsnews.blogspot.com/2009/05/spotted-over-at-mr-dales-place.html
wv hazing? Will Mr Clegg be hazed?
You're linking to a press release that's nearly three years old - that's a pretty tough stretch of the word "new"
Yes, start investigating LibDem now that they're leader is urging Labour supporters to switch sides. Coincidence? Me thinks not!
Niles, the link to that press release it meant to provide background for the reader who has come new to this.
Can you enlighten us further? Why is there a sudden interest? Is it because the police have stopped investigating Michael Brown so their flimsy excuse of interfering with the course of justice no longer holds up?
Or is it because there is a new head of the Electoral Commission?
Or is it because the Labour Party would like to see the Lib dems squashed so that Labour don't come third in 2010?
Might I suggest an FOI request, asking for correspondence between Number Ten and the Electoral Commission?
"The LibDems have maintained they did nothing wrong."
Typical LD double standards! The LD's are not just in the wrong but need to pay the donation back!
The Liberal Democrats are the world record breakers in double standards. They are the Labour Party Trogen Horse in England!
If you want to Punish Labour - You need to Punish the Liberal Democrats!
Alex said -
"Or is it because the Labour Party would like to see the Lib dems squashed so that Labour don't come third in 2010?"
The LD's are doomed - DOOMED Alex!
I should imagine it would be a useful excuse for them if they did have to repay the money!!!
LD's always have poor excuses including the Invisible Man who leads them!
£2.4 million is a lot of money especially in very harsh economic times! I should imagine the people who were defrauded of the Cash will gladly spend it on themseleves rather than pointless two horse race bar graphs and yellow capes and Yellow Paint for the LD candidates to undertake their favourite nocturnal activity!
Smearing marginal seats with Mans best friends digested dinner! The LD's are a bunch of stinkers!!!
IT seems minor compared to Lord Ashcroft avoiding tax by living abroad, and the Daily Mail's UK born Viscount Rothermere claiming (a/c Private Eye) to be a non-Dom even though he lives in a stately home in Wiltshire.
It would make an interesting court case in the run up to the General Election.
It has to be remebered County Court Preceding tend to get to court much much quicker than Criminal proceedings so there is time yet for a perfect anti-LD storm!
Off-topic, you just can't get enough of Prescott can you: he's ridiculed Gordon's 'smile':
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1177540/With-friends-like--Prescott-jokes-Brown-worst-bloody-smile-world.html
Paul Halsall
The Liberal Democrats have recieved stolen money.
The Liberal Democrats should pay it back - the donor to the Liberal Democrats was not registered to vote here either!
This is the most dodgy donation in recent history and the LD's should be ashamed! But they are not! They claim they are the victims! The real victims are the people defrauded to pay for Liberal Democrat rubbish campaigning!
The LD's are a dishonest buch of schisters! Time for them to be wiped out!
ILLIBERAL DEMOCRATS,hope to see you back on PB ,you can't let the lib dem supporters win,get back on there and give them hell.
Martin Day/Illiberal Democrats - You really need to seek psychiatric help quickly , since you flounced off pb.com the other day , your postings are becoming ever more fevered and irrational and today's offerings are clearly those of someone very near to or even with a complete mental breakdown .
On the topic of the thread , I am surprised that you have only just picked up this story , the EC reopened their investigation several months ago .
The Boiling Frog - Yes Prescott will have created new Cabinet Splits as they laugh there head off and split their sides open at that picture!
Prescott smiling like Gordon is enough to bring your dinner back!
Baroness Uddins flat for rent on Ebay
mark senior,you have some nerve to talk about martin day like that,god,when the lib dems won a couple of council seats the other week,you senior were bleating all over the internet,'we won council seats,torie's have'nt',it's you my liberal foe who really neads the psychiatric help.
Iliberal Democrats 1:18pm accuses the LibDems of smearing - perhaps he should look up irony in the dictionary.
Has the idiot any idea how offensive his stupid logo might be real victims of fascism?
"IT seems minor compared to Lord Ashcroft avoiding tax by living abroad,"
Nobody avoids tax by living abroad. One becomes subject to tax by havinga source of income which falls withing the scope of UK taxation. Billions of people on the face of the planet do not have income that is subject to UK taxation. Get over it.
"and the Daily Mail's UK born Viscount Rothermere claiming (a/c Private Eye) to be a non-Dom even though he lives in a stately home in Wiltshire."
Maybe he is entitled to claim that he is a non-dom. The tax affairs of any individual is not the concern of politicians. They should only be concerned that the tax laws are fair and reasonable and properly applied by HMRC.
Guido has a great picture of Brown surrounded by swastikas.
Shouldn't laugh.
He also has a good explanation of Ricky Hatton's defeat.
While we're at it; What of David Abrahams' donations to the Labour Party that Brown said were illegal?
Have they been repaid, and the same amount forfeited to the Electoral Commission?
Irrespective of the party politics, surely all politicians of any party should be concerned that after FOUR YEARS the Electoral Commission haven't made a ruling one way or another?
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