Donations accounting costs Hain job
Work and Pensions resigns over unreported campaign donations
Peter Hain yesterday quit his cabinet post as the pressure over accounting
for donations to deputy leadership campaign became too much to bear.
Hain came under fire in December after admitting he had not declared the full
list of donors that contributed to his failed bid for the deputy leadership of
the Labour Party.
Because of ‘administrative failings’ within his campaign, there were
donations to his deputy leadership bid which were not registered within the
normal time to the Electoral Commission, Hain said. The failings emerged after
an audit of Hain’s campaign finances.
Hain had declared £82,000 but the total amount raised by his campaign team
last year is thought to top £100,000.
Yesterday Hain said he was stepping down to ‘clear my name’.
‘I severely and seriously regret the mistake in declaring donations late,’
Hain said.
Further reading:
Hain apologises for late accounts
Brown voices fury at Hain donation row
