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Labour discloses names of donors

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: Stung by allegations of sleaze, Britain's ruling Labour Party was on Tuesday forced to disclose the names of its secret donors as the cash-for-peerages crisis deepened, prompting calls for "heads to roll''.

The crisis centres round accusations that Prime Minister Tony Blair has been handing out honours in return for loans and donations to the party. While he has taken personal responsibility for the way the money was raised he has denied that people were being rewarded for their financial contribution to the party. The list of 12 donors, who together gave nearly £14 million to the Labour Party, includes two Indian businessmen — the so-called "curry king'' Ghulam Noon and Chai Patel, owner of a healthcare chain.

Both were nominated for peerage after they loaned money to the party though they have strongly denied that they expected anything in return.

Questions were also raised about another of the party's benefactors — Christopher Evans whose company Merlin Biosciences is being reportedly investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.

Others on the list include Lord David Sainsbury of the famous Sainsbury's supermarket chain; Sir David Garrard, a property developer; Richard Caring, owner of one of London's most famous restaurants Ivy; Barry Townsley, a stock broker; Nigel Morris, former boss of a credit card company; Andrew Rosenfeld, property developer; Gordon Crawford, an IT businessman; and Derek Tullett, a money broker. The names were disclosed ahead of a meeting of Labour's National Executive Committee where members attacked the party leadership on the issue.

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