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Ken in the clear over donors
Paul Waugh and Pippa Crerar27.03.08
Ken Livingstone has been cleared of breaking the law over donations to his re-election campaign - but rapped over the knuckles for how his website raises cash.
The Electoral Commission has ruled there is "no evidence" the Mayor acted illegally in failing to declare hundreds of pounds in gifts, the Standard has learned.
Tory MP Greg Hands had alleged that Mr Livingstone had breached the law requiring individual donations to be listed publicly.
The Commission has decided that the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 has not been broken because all of the money was given to the Labour Party in London as a whole rather than to Mr Livingstone directly.
But the watchdog ordered the wording of the Mayor's website be changed to avoid giving the impression that gifts would be handed directly to him.
"Having met the Labour party and Ken Livingstone's election agent, we are satisfied that there is currently no evidence of a breach," a spokesman said.
"However, we advised the party to change its fundraising terminology to reflect money raised would be used by the party to fund its London election campaign and avoid any misunderstanding. They have agreed to do this."
Hammersmith and Fulham MP Mr Hands had complained after it emerged this month that the Mayor's website urged people to make cheques payable to "the Ken Livingstone campaign" rather than "the Labour Party". The campaign website was today changed with all references to cheques to the campaign deleted.
Boris Johnson has declared all his individual donations over £1,000, but neither Mr Livingstone nor Brian Paddick have done so because they say all cash
goes to their parties. Mr Hands said: "It's outrageous that the people of London cannot see who funds Mr Livingstone's campaign. In the past he has been funded by a mixture of controversial property developers and Tube unions. Livingstone may have been let off by the Commission this time but he must realise
there is a legitimate public interest in knowing who is funding him." Responding to the Commission's decision, Mr Johnson said: "One thing is clear - the Mayor continues to hide details of property developers who donate to his campaign. In the spirit of openness and transparency he must
release details of donations as I have done." A Labour spokesman said: "The Labour Party is pleased the Electoral Commission has today made clear there has been no breach of party funding rules by the London Labour Party or Ken Livingstone in respect of donations to the London election campaign."
Last night, at a business hustings featuring all four main mayoral candidates, Mr Livingstone said he had no wish to schmooze big business to raise money for his campaign.
He said he would rather not know whether developers had donated as it might create difficulties in planning decisions.
A senior mayoral aide added: "The idea you can influence a planning application worth hundreds of millions of pounds with a £5,000 donation is absolutely ridiculous."
Reader views (7)
And a very rich socialist his is indeed! Oh, how the working class people hate the likes of him and new labour. They will reap what they sow.
- Joe Sardena, Swanley Kent
Kenny, your relentless contempt and disdain for hard-working Londoners will be punished soon enough - we will use our vote to get rid of you.
Against the wishes and best interests of Londoners you:
-Got rid of the iconic Routemasters
-Introduced, then expanded the tax raising CONgestion Charge
-Introduced the dangerous bendy buses
-Placed your Communist cronies from the old GLC in high paying positions in City Hall
-Presided over a shambolic, authoritarian tax raising regime where hard-working Londoners are relentlessly persecuted by your TfL apparatchiks.
No Kenny, Londoners are sick of you - good riddance.
- Daniel Howard, London, UK
Ken thinks he is untouchable. He has told the London assembly to mind their own business. He funds anything that attacks the British way of life and operates a positive racism scheme. He funds St Patrick's day celebrations but refuses to fund St Georges day. We had a whole month of celebrations over the founding of India but none over the 60th anniversary of Israel.
- James Thomas, London
Ken's inability to grasp the fine details of public finances is becoming clear.
Offering a blank cheque for Crossrail was naive. Leaving the LDA chequebook in the hands of his extreme left cabal reckless. Shielding his nose from the smell that emanates from the GLAs audit section unforgivable.
London needs a fresh start, a fresh team and a focus on helping those who need it, not just those in Ken's camp.
Bring on Boris.
- Paul Canal, London
Who is funding Ken? How many identities can the same builder hide behind to provide multiple sums of just under £5K? And who is Ken funding with our money?
- Jack, London
Ken, you're responsible for making London one of the most expensive cities in the world. Sorry, that's not something to be proud of, especially when value for money is sacrificed. Go, just go, you've damaged us enough.
- Browned Off, NW11
We all now that Ken's on the take which is why some of these utterly atrocious buildings such as the shopping centre beside St Pauls and the flats beside Tower Bridge get built.
- Alun Dunner, London, UK
