Labour's Harman insists she acted in "good faith" in donations row
LONDON (AFP) — Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman told MPs on Thursday that she acted "within both the letter and spirit of the law" in the row over unlawful donations from a property developer.
Harman -- the leader of the House of Commons -- has come under fierce criticism for accepting a 5,000 pound donation for her deputy leadership bid from Janet Kidd -- who was acting on behalf of David Abrahams.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have called for a police investigation after it was revealed that Abrahams donated more than 600,000 pounds to the Labour Party through four friends or associates -- in breach of funding rules.
Abrahams insists he was only trying to protect his privacy and did not know it was illegal.
Harman told the House of Commons that she took the donation "in good faith" and accepted the money after checking Kidd was on the electoral roll and that she was an established Labour Party donor.
Harman insisted that she and her deputy leadership team had "acted at all times within both the letter and the spirit of the law," she said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told MPs on Wednesday that he would do everything he could to ensure party financing was transparent and proper.
"What happened was completely unjustifiable. It has got to be investigated as a matter of urgency," Brown said during his weekly question-and-answer session. "I am determined to make sure that political party finances are above board."
Tory MP Theresa May insisted that the Labour Party was now facing a "sleaze scandal">
"The Leader of the House, the prime minister and the Labour Party treasurer are like the three wise monkeys.
"They see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. Quite simply it won't wash," she said.
