“WHERE’S THE MONEY?” CALL AS BROWN-PURCELL DINNER PROCEEDS POSTED MISSING

“WHERE’S THE MONEY?” CALL AS BROWN-PURCELL DINNER PROCEEDS POSTED MISSING

The SNP today demanded to know “where’s the money” over Labour’s troubled
fundraising dinner earlier this year, attended by Gordon Brown, which
preceded the resignation of Labour’s brightest star and Glasgow council
leader Steven Purcell.

The call follows publication today of donations and borrowing received by
political parties during Quarter 1, 2010 (January-March) by the Electoral
Commission

The Scottish Labour Party is required to register all donations over
£1,500, but the proceeds of the gala dinner on 25 February attended by
senior politicians, a variety of supporters, business people, and
celebrities have not been registered.

The SNP says this raises serious questions over the event, held at the
Hilton Hotel in Glasgow and attended by the Prime Minister, Scottish
Secretary Jim Murphy, Labour’s former leader in Glasgow Steven Purcell and
Holyrood leader Iain Gray.

Glasgow Council quango City Building last month confirmed it had paid
£2,000 for a table at the dinner.

Any donations received, money paid for tables or prizes in raffles or
auctions valued at over £1,500 should have been declared in the Q1
donations issued today.

The SNP is demanding to know why a range of reported donations are not
registered: -
• £2000 from City Building which Labour has refused to return
• The value of auction prizes and the money paid for them
including the value and money bid for a Peter Howson painting – one report
describes the audience “digging deep” for this item
• The value and money bid for a two week holiday at Willie
Haughey’s Florida villa
• Sponsorship of the event or any cumulative donations from the
event sponsor.
• Any donations made at the event either individually or
cumulatively over £1,500 or any goods valued at over £1,500 that were
raffled or auctioned.


SNP candidate for Glasgow East John Mason said:

"This appears to be a gala fundraising dinner that has raised no money.
Labour now needs to come clean and explain where the money is.

"This was advertised as a Scottish Labour event and that means all
donations over £1,500 must be registered. Why is the £2,000 from Cuty
Building not registered? Why are none of the auction prizes registered?
Why are none of the auction bids registered? If the event was sponsored,
why is this not registered?

“It has been claimed people “dug deep” at this dinner to fund Labour’s
election campaign. In that case, where's the money?

“What we do know is that City Building donated £2,000 for a table and that
Labour have refused to return it.

"We know a Peter Howson painting donated by a former Labour MP was
auctioned. And we know a two week holiday in Florida at a luxury villa was
auctioned.

"None of these items are registered. In fact, there is no record of this
event at all in Scottish Labour’s donations.

“Labour are under enough suspicion in Glasgow for their refusal to open up
the Council to independent examination. Now they face real questioning
over their party finances.

“Labour came into office in 1997 promising openness and transparency in
political party funding. With just 48 hours before another general
election, Labour need to honour that pledge and come clean on its
fundraising.”