Health Secretary Alan Johnson forced to pay back £1,600 donation from banned donor

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Cabinet minister Alan Johnson has been forced to give back a £1,675 donation after it emerged the money came from a banned donor.

The Health Secretary failed to check in time whether he was allowed to accept money from the donor and will now have to pay back the sum into public funds. He also failed to tell the authorities on time about the donation.

But the Electoral Commission said it would not take legal action against the politician after accepting the blunder was an "oversight".

Mr Johnson received £1,675 in August last year from a Mizra Begg, who was not on the electoral register and therefore not allowed to donate.

But the money was not returned to him until December - well outside the 30-day limit - and neither was it reported to the Commission on time.

Because of the late declaration, Mr Johnson must hand over the sum to the authorities even though the donation has been returned.

The Health Secretary raised thousands of pounds last year to fund an unsuccessful bid to become Labour deputy leader.

The watchdog said it "accepted that this was an oversight and that there was no intention to break the rules.

"Mr Johnson has agreed to forfeit the sum of £1,675 and therefore legal action by the Commission is not necessary."