Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice has said that the two donations totalling £72 million are in line with existing regulations and new legislation as drafted by Labour. Which is making its way through the Lords today…
Some Labourites are keen to enforce a cap on individual donations – so far opposed by the unions who want to funnel cash into Labour coffers. Tice told Sky News:
“Our understanding is that these donations comply not only with the existing laws but also with the legislation going through the House of Lords literally as we speak, today and tomorrow.
Whether or not the Labour Party then try and change things yet again, because they’re so jealous that someone else might be raising some money apart from themselves, time will tell. But based on everything that’s out there at the moment, we’re advised very clearly that these donations comply…
…maybe they’re planning to change the rules in a retrospective, very un-British way that I think voters would then see what this dictatorial government is up to, which is basically trying to prevent any competition from any legitimate alternative political party.”
Tice couldn’t say exactly when Ben Delo returned to Britain, saying: “I’m not responsible for his specific bedroom arrangements, on which week, on which month. But it complies.” He told Times Radio: “anything’s possible with this sort of dictatorship currently ruining the country. You know, we’re the victims of a coup”…
Reform says that more donations are coming. Alarm bells in Labour HQ…
Former Treasury minister and adviser to Burnham in the Makerfield campaign Lord Jim O’Neill, who has turned down a role in his government, said Burnham’s first statement Commons was:
“The last thing investors wanted to hear… gilt yields have risen by a 0.25% in one day, which is a lot. We’ve not had that since Liz Truss days… If your country is under the focus of ‘can they come up with a sensible fiscal strategy’ on a day when the markets think ‘well no, you’re not showing any sign of it’ you’re going to have a tough day…if it stays like this your mortgage rate is going up.”