The Abrahams donation - a ridiculous tale

Guido's superb posts on the Abrahams donations to the Harman and Benn leadership campaigns have increased my suspicions about the whole episode.

We are asked to believe that no one apart from Peter Watt knew of the arrangement to conceal Mr Abrahams' identity.

For this to be the case there are two requirements.

First, Abrahams must have had the idea of donating hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Labour Party without being approached by a fundraiser.

Second, despite being a donor known to the General Secretary of the Party and to at least one of the Deputy Leadership candidates (Benn), and despite being known well by the party as a wealthy property developer (hence his seat in the front row of Blair's farewell) he was never approached by a Party fundraiser. We are told, aren't we that the fundraisers didn't know of Abraham's big donations. Yet still they left this potential donor alone.

These two ideas are, frankly, ridiculous.

It is impossible that Watt was the only person who knew.

Comments

[Ken from glos]

another story of sleaze that has and will continue to have traction!!
This one will run and run and tou are spot on as usual.

[Mrs Sheila Jones]

I bet Cherie Blair is wetting herself with glee!
Sheila Jones

[alex r]

Separate question - what were the Electoral Commission doing? Yet agin they been shown to be a purely reactionary body. What exactly is the point of them?

[Victor - a very happy expat.]

Breathtaking load of lies. Still they managed to sweep the cash for honours under the carpet so this is nothing much. In the good old days Mr. Abrahams gong would have already been in the post.

[Teesbridge]

I actually wonder if Peter Watt was one of the few people who DIDN'T know...

[Mark Williams]

These donations started in 2003. Peter Watt started his job in 2005.

[Henry]

Well, I guess someone might eventually bother to investigate Lord Ashcroft's tax status properly or the anonymous Tory donors behind the Midlands Industrial Council or some how some Conservatives got their peerages....