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Osborne admits donation 'mistake'
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George Osborne has acknowledged that he made a "mistake" in becoming involved in a discussion about a possible donation to the Tory Party from Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska.
In his first public comments for almost a week, he admitted it "did not look very good" that he was present when a possible £50,000 donation was discussed with the financier Nathaniel Rothschild.
"I neither asked for money nor received any and I didn't break any rules but I think I did make a mistake," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One.
Mr Osborne said he had now taken a decision that he would no longer take part in any discussions about individual donations to the party.
"I think in politics it is not just what you say or what you do, it's how things look. If I am absolutely honest this didn't look very good and I regret that," he said.
"I think the real judgment is can you learn from mistakes you make. I have changed the way that I am going to operate when it comes to fundraising and I will not discuss individual donations with individual donors. That, I think, is an appropriate thing for me to do."
The Tories will hope that by owning up to his mistake, Mr Osborne can finally draw a line under the controversy which has dogged him for almost a week.
The row erupted when Mr Rothschild, an old friend from Oxford, accused him of trying to "solicit" a loan from Mr Deripaska while he was staying at the financier's villa on the Greek island of Corfu.
Mr Osborne has admitted meeting Mr Deripaska on his yacht but has denied asking him for any money.
He has however admitted that he was present when Mr Rothschild discussed the possibility of the Russian making a donation with Tory Party chief executive and fundraiser Andrew Feldman. Their conversation included a discussion about whether Mr Deripaska - who, as a foreigner, is banned from making individual donations - could make a contribution through his British-based company, Leyland DAF.
Reader views (2)
Peter's comments makes me laugh.
The only reason Tory-boy admitted that he got caught with his hand in the biscuit barrel yet again was because one of his old Bullingdon chums realised it made better financial sense to shaft Osborne than his relationship with Oleg the Oligarch.
I doubt that Osborne would have been so contrite had Nat Rothschild not told him quite publicly to keep shut or else.
- Gary Sanger, London, 27/10/2008 15:50
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It takes a real man to apologise for making a mistake, and George Osborne has proved without a doubt what a thoroughly honest and trustworthy person he is, for doing this.
Peter Mandleson on the other hand could never stand up like a man and apologise for any of his indiscretions.
- Peter Thurgood, London, UK, 27/10/2008 14:31
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