Scotland Yard is assessing a complaint that Labour’s 2004 hunting ban was, in the words of a former party fundraiser, “bought and paid for” by a £1 million donation. Jonathan Powell’s name features prominently…
According to the Telegraph, the allegation – referred to the Met by pro-hunting campaigners – is that the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) gave Labour £1 million in 1996 in return for a manifesto commitment to ban hunting with dogs. Former Labour fundraiser Brian Basham claims it was Powell, then Blair’s chief of staff, who sent him to collect the cheque. Basham says it came with the message “We have to stop hunting with dogs”…
The complaint asks the police to examine the party for alleged misconduct in public office. The Met confirms it received a report on 20th April concerning “a donation made to a political party prior to the 1997 general election,” and that officers are assessing it. No investigation has been launched (yet), and Labour of course insists it’s a non-story. But the claims are awkward for Powell. He’s still in situ as Burnham’s National Security Adviser…
Andy Haldane, Burnham’s recent adviser on the economy who has not taken up a No10 job, told Andrew Marr on LBC:
“The market now suspects that this is a traditional tax-and-spend socialist government with better TikTok videos…
imposing windfall taxes on oil & gas or on banks or upping capital gains tax would […] repeat the mistake that Rachel made […] The Achilles heel, the fiscal Achilles heel of this government thus far has been its unwillingness and/or inability to cut public spending.”