Exclusive: Feather Smoothing Email Sent to All Tory Donors
From Stanley Fink, Treasurer of The Conservative Party
I thought that it would be appropriate for me to write to you in light of the events of the last few days.
In the first place, to let you know that Peter Cruddas has resigned as Treasurer of the Party and that I have agreed to return to that role. I will serve alongside my Co-Treasurer Michael Farmer. As you will be aware, I stepped down from this post three weeks ago and Peter Cruddas took up the post.
I can categorically state that since I became the co-Treasurer of the Party in 2008, there has been absolutely no question of donors to the Party being able to use their donations to influence policy or to gain improper or special access to senior politicians.
Peter Cruddas’ comments as recorded by the Sunday Times are in my view entirely without basis in fact and the approach to fundraising they imply is wholly improper. It is not possible in any way to buy privileged access to Ministers or to send policy suggestions to the No10 Policy unit by virtue of becoming a donor to the Party.
The Treasurers’ team have in my experience conducted themselves professionally and entirely properly at all times and have been extremely careful to observe the requirements of electoral law. I have been proud to serve as part of this team and I am very happy to return to this role.
This morning the Prime Minister announced a series of steps to reassure the public that the way in which the Conservative Party conducts its fundraising is entirely proper.
First, he has ordered a full enquiry into political fundraising by the Party. This will be led by the Conservative peer Lord Gold, a distinguished lawyer and a former senior partner at Herbert Smith.
Secondly, there has been much speculation about dinners with financial supporters in the Prime Minister’s flat in Downing Street. The Prime Minister has given full disclosure as to the attendees of these dinners.
None of these dinners were fund raising dinners, and none of these dinners were paid for by the taxpayer. The Prime Minister has known most of those attending for many years.
Let me add that Peter Cruddas never recommended anyone to go to dinner in the flat; nor has he been to dinner there himself.
Thirdly, from now on, the Conservative Party will publish details every quarter of any meals attended by any major donors, whether they take place at Downing Street, Chequers or any official residence.
Fourthly, from now on, the Conservative Party will, in addition, publish the names of attendees at major donor club dinners.
Finally, the Prime Minister has given his assurance that no one in the No 10 Policy Unit has met anyone at Peter Cruddas’s request. However, to avoid any perception of undue influence, from now on we will put in place new procedures in which, if any Ministerial contact with a party donor prompts a request for policy advice, the Minister will refer this to his or her Private Office who can seek guidance from the Permanent Secretary.
All of these seem to me to be sensible steps to remove any appearance of impropriety around political fundraising. In my view there has not, under my watch, been any actual impropriety, but the events of the weekend will have raised doubts in the mind of the public which need to be addressed.
I would also like to point out that the Prime Minister has sought to reopen a dialogue with the other political parties on political fundraising and has asked Francis Maude and Andrew Feldman to lead those negotiations.
I believe that, as a team, we have acted swiftly and effectively to deal with an extremely serious situation that we only became aware of late on Saturday night.
I would like to thank you very much for your support of the Party, to apologise profusely for the embarrassment and reputational damage caused by the Peter Cruddas incident and to assure you that the Treasurers’ team will continue to conduct itself in a way that is both within the letter and the spirit of electoral law with an emphasis on transparency and ethical conduct.
With best wishes
Lord Fink
All political Parties are at it, mainly through planning and property development. Why do you think the Tories are trying to change the planning laws? To get more money from developers. I have been doing it for years in Portsmouth, as have all the other Parties elsewhere. Boaz.
What about the meetings that doesn’t happen in official residence or the one that happen in donors residence or yacht?
e.g.
The Tory leader was reportedly flown by a priviate Gulfstream IV jet to Santorini on August 16 where he joined Mr Murdoch for drinks on his 184ft yacht, Rosehearty.
The Gulfstream belongs to public relations guru Matthew Freud who is married to Mr Murdoch’s daughter, Elisabeth.
Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/372154-cameron-took-free-flights-for-murdoch-meeting#ixzz1qFdP6zze
Lord Fink is a made-up name surely?
Nope – http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/stanley-fink/51090
blub lub
Signed Lord Fink
Major donor to the Conservative Party and Hedge Fund manager.
Don’t they all have such common christian names? Dave (Cameron), Reg (Sheffield) and Stan (Fink)?
Makes one long for the days of Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton and so on.
very good indeed
or Anthony Charles Lynton – hence the £1 million price tag
Don’t worry – All the deals are still good.
If anything comes of this, we can always give the Argies a bashing.
That will take everyone’s mind off things.
Would Stanley’s elevation to the House of Lords have anything to do with his hefty donations to the Tory Party??
Just look at the House of Lords now.
I expect Gordon Brown will be redesignated as “Lord Brown” before long, in spite of the damaged he wreaked upon our nation. Can’t we just get rid of the appointees and go back to the hereditary system?
Well, he WAS Lord Delpus for far too long, so this won’t be a stretch – which is incidentally what most of these nest-stuffers should be serving in Belmarsh.
The Tory Cabinet Song
Jolly big back-handers
Added to our large hoard
You can meet the PM
We’ll take your views on board
It’s not illegal so you wont be slapped in jail
It’s common Knowledge our policies are for sale
Don’t use direct debit
That would just leave a trail
We can’t have the public
Knowing that were for sale
If you are wanting to purchase committee votes
I can arrange it for a bloody great wad of notes
We know the public
Are for the most part thick
We’ve already cut your taxes
Was that not a cunning trick
We’ve clawed back the money from all of the OAPs
We are the Tories and we can do what we please
We’ve set the agenda
By upping the Uni cost
Cutting the Child Allowance
Pensioners tax break lost
We are getting richer so in us you should invest
We’ve all got millions so bollocks to all the rest
The offspring of unmarried parents are after the few pennies left in our pockets to fund themselves.
Feck Off!
crudas is being cr–apped on bigtime
a liar for starters
More of an amuse bouche. Just wait, this could reverberate Cameron right out of office.
Now the topic is up the Agenda, more like perfect timing to expose some labour hypocracy and expose Union influence on Labour in exchange for £s.
Agreed. Labour’s 13 years of corrupt fund raising whilst in office leaves them extremely vulnerable to any Public Enquiry into Party finances.
We live in a banana republic.
Where elections for leader are rigged,
by Union baronsyou mean ?Well said.
On the nail. It wasn’t so long ago that Labour MP’s were asking questions in Parliament for the Unions.
Come on Miliband open up, let’s have a public Inquiry
Lord Fink! Ha ha ha.
Brilliant bit of satire Guido. Who else could have thought up so preposterous a name? Keep it up.
Ah fink he sounds OK to me…
Anyway up, what can you make of a name like Vote Blue Get Mugged on a Libertarian blog?
I don’t much care for tax and spend merchants like the current tory cabinet running the government?
There is no political party with a cat’s chance of getting elected that does not believe in taxing and spending. Any sniff of an election and they are all out making unfunded promises. Bears shit in woods. The Pope is Catholic. Water is wet.
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So the “Big Bang Theory” has another meaning?
Cor! I hope so…
Private Eye probably.
Everyone’s a bleeding cat nowadays.
Whatever the truth behind this, it compares well with countless Labour scandals which were ignored for days or weeks and then covered up before finally being exposed. You have only got to look at the list which included Mandy (twice), Hinduja brothers, Bernie Ecclestone, Lakshmi Mittal, Christopher Ondaatje, it goes on and on, and so did the denials from Labour.
Good point. Nobody heard of those scandals and labour were er, voted back… er they lost power didn’t they? What can we learn from that?
we’re doomed?
Right. They were voted back twice, Blaair proving that you can fool most of the people all of the time.
I suppose in the end there’s really no arguing with faith.
Doubt is better, safer and healthier.
Are really sure of that?
this is why the tory party are conducting an internal investigation, headed by a tory lord (not accountable to anyone) for the purposes of finding absolutely nothing wrong with the tory party. of course, voters will have full disclosure of the entire review in 2052 or later depending on how many they kill via the NHS or Welfare reforms under way
The NHS is doing it’s level best to kill as many as it’s marxist roots imply.
one? two?
what yer talkin’ ’bout
The pills haven’t made it to AC1′s ward yet.
Is Chilcot’s Iraq Inquiry report published yet?
Thought not.
Just as the Local Government Ombudsman conducts enquiries manned by ex-Local Government Officers which fail to find any maladministration in any case they examine. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.
Yet another sad old male politician who on being flashed a pair of stocking tops or white panties turns into a total pillock
Vince Cable was another. You’d think political parties would get wise now when some fit bird comes along giggling like a 5 year old flirting with some old fart politician.
How many politicians have been caught out like this?
What is the Point of Supporting a Political Party and Donating Hefty sums of wedge, if you get nothing out of it, might just as well squander it on having a good time.
It is irrelevant what labour have either got up to or not got up to in the past.
This problem is a Conservative one pure and simple. It is for them to employ high standards in public office .
The people are not happy to put it mildly. A resignation within hours and backtracking ever since.
From now on Cameron is unelectable in 2015 .
Everyman and his dog now knows this.
?
nods
I fink we are being spun a lie.
Finks aint wot they used to be
Me Finks that he protests too much!
Never thought the Labour slogan Yesterday’s men (they failed before!) was so apt… have we all had a mass deja vue experience?
So whilst Murdcoh sends his attack dogs to get the Tories, the BBC are about to launch an attack on Sky.
Panorama 8:30
I dont fucking care.
I have contempt for each and every one of the sleazy contemptible scumbags.
Don’t hold back. Tell us what you really think.
Peter Cruddas never attended any dinners in the flat? The fact that he is a bit rough and ready, albeit very rich, presumably accounts for this.
Incidentally, the surname is a bit unusual. Is he related to Jon Cruddas ?
Am I the only one to feel uncomfortable with all these names: Fink, Gold, the Millibands. etc. For a group that sees themselves as different and apparently regards eventual burial in another country as optimal, there seem to be a disproportionate number in positions of influence. Even Guido’s regular references to publications scarcely in every branch of W.H.Smith have got me worried.
Dave Cameron – the choice of the chosen people
So it would seem. I didn’t find this in Guido’s list of recommended articles.
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/03/26/palestine%E2%80%99s-right-to-exist/
So many survivors
I’d like to think that if I was donating 250 grand, Dave would be able to come up with something better than a supermarket Dine in for 10 quid deal or a Donor kebab supper
http://cameronskitchen.co.uk/
come on everyone, give us a chance, we’ve only been in power, I mean shared power with the wonderful Lib dems, for a year or so
What a load of old shite.
Cameron has doubled dementia funding but, let’s face it, they won’t remember him for it.
I am thinking you will find our MPs sufficiently demented already, Mr Camoron Sahib.
Let’s see them try to iron me out !
“…the Conservative Party will publish details every quarter of any meals attended by any major donors…”
Great. Will that just be the menu or will we get the recipes as well?
Well if that complete and utter Hunt Maude is now leading discussions with his political soul mates in the other left wing parties regarding party fundraising then we can clearly expect a lefty approach that will mean we end up paying for these venal self serving bastards to glorify themselves at our expense yet again.
There really is no difference now between the Cameroon Tories and New Labour, both are examples of the very worst politicians and politics imaginable in an ostensibly democratic society.
He should be called Jesus Fink!
Dear Finky:
We never believed a word of what Del Boy Crud-Arse promised on that SD vid-clip, so why should we believe a word of what’s in your letter? You’ll just carry on regardless.
All British Politicians remind you of DSK but here they just screw the white electorate.
Let Sunshine into Westminster Vote EDP
How much have rich Asians paid to allow all the immigration we have experienced?
A great deal.
There’ll be nothing to see here. Move along.
I’ve heard that the BBC is attempting to buy influence by paying Marr and Paxman millions of pounds to spout left wing rubbish.
Downing Street has just announced the cast for the forthcoming ‘Carry On Regardless’:- DAVID CAMERON – Frankie Howard; David Crud-Arse – Sid James; FRANCIS MAUDE – Peter Butterworth; THERESA MAY – Hattie Jacques;
ED MILLIBAND – Kenneth Williams; GEORGE OSBORNE – Charles Hawtrey.
First, he has ordered a full enquiry into political fundraising by the Party. This will be led by the Conservative peer Lord Gold, a distinguished lawyer and a former senior partner at Herbert Smith.
— One assumes that this will be at taxpayer expense, and not paid for by those who caused the issue to req2uire a full enquiry Mr CMD ?
OR
— Ahhh ! The old enquiry ploy – the long grass trick ! By the time the results come in – nobody can even remember what it was supposed to be about, let alone whether the ‘not guilty’ declaration was worth paying for in the first place !
‘none of these dinners were paid for by the taxpayer’.
Well i hope these dinners were not fucking cooked on that kitchen which I have helped pay for!
Never have I received an order in my takeaway from 10 Downing Street to deliver food to avoid any allegations of impropriety and breaches of the parliamentary funding legislation.
Or in other words,
“sorry about the fuck up chaps, Cruddarse is a utter cretin he has been demoted back to thieving from help the aged collection boxes, keep bunging the cash its business as usual we will sort out the details later…”
Is “Fink” a portmanteau word? Could it be a contraction of fucked and hoodwinked?
” Fink and Farmer ”
Newly coined expression in the new ra of transparency recently adopted by all polticos of whichever hue .
The basic premise is that one ” finks up ” ways to collect the monies whilst the other ” farms out ” the favours duly promised upon receipted confirmation of agreed deposited amounts at (T)outts Bank ,Strand Branch.
Ahh…. yes it reminds me when we were filming ” Born Free ” on the Masai Mara in Kenya .
” An internal enquiry … ” reminds me of the sweet and cloying perfume of the savannahs ( long grass)….
Crikey what a lot of racist, anti-semitic, bitter, reactionary clap-trap (from the comments, not Lord Fink’s letter).
Sure, Cruddas cocked up hugely (but it would still be interesting to see the whole unedited film/read the transcript to find out the context and the leading questions from the journo). Keep in mind self-made Cruddas (the antithesis of Osbourne, Cameron etc) is still a man who gives away £millions each year to causes as wide-ranging as child poverty charities, schools, universities and arts organisations: he doesn’t deserve complete opprobrium.
And Stanley’s another self-made man: a Mancuniuan who won a scholarship to Cambridge through hard graft and who has donated tens of millions to charities over the years. These guys don’t have to give away money, BTW.
Moreover, as Stanley noted to me yesterday, if donating automatically buys influence, then there’d be a lot less banker-bashing going on wouldn’t there?