Lib Dems face cash for lunch scandal
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Your support makes all the difference.The chances of a Nolan committee investigation into party political funding increased yesterday after the Liberal Democrats were accused of offering companies a "cash for contracts" deal.
In a letter sent out last July, the party invited business contacts to a party conference lunch at which they could meet Liberal Democrat councillors.
The letter left little to the imagination, saying: "These councillors all control a council, solely or with the assistance of another party.
"The cost of attending the lunch is pounds 195 for each attendee. A list of companies attending will be published and mailed to all Liberal Democrat councillors (5,000 plus) throughout the country and a leading councillor contact list will be provided to each attendee."
As for the opportunities such contacts might open up, the letter said: "An average district council spends over pounds 300,000 on assurance ... many thousands on construction... The spectra of opportunities cover every subject from paper clips to plastic cups."
Brian Mawhinney, the Conservative Party Chairman, said yesterday: "The Liberal Democrat Party has been caught with its hand in the till. For the Liberal Democrats to demand that businessmen pay pounds 195 so as to have access to preferential information about council contracts is a clear case of cash for contracts."
Saying the letter represented the "worst sort of sleaze", Mr Mawhinney called on Paddy Ashdown, Liberal Democrat leader, to provide Lord Nolan's Committee on Standards in Public Life with details of all contacts and contracts that had come from the lunch.
"I hope on this occasion they will do that. Perhaps it should go to the Nolan committee."
But as Mr Ashdown himself said later, any investigation by Lord Nolan - which the Liberal Democrat leader appeared willing to instigate - would need to take in similar operations by the Conservative and Labour parties.
Mr Ashdown said: "On the face of it, this is exactly what every other party does; it's exactly in line with the normal practice ... but if there is any doubt about this, I am perfectly happy that the party should put this before Lord Nolan."
However, a party statement later said that the pounds 195 was not fund- raising, but was charged to cover "administration costs".
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