Doubts about donations

From Mr John Spencer

Sir: Lord McAlpine seems to think he has settled the problem of political funding when he says that people have the right to give money privately to the party of their choice. However, the issue is not the donor's right to privacy but whether the recipient has the right to hide the source of the money.

Political parties are seeking votes as well as money. Unless they know who is putting up the money, the voters can do nothing to prevent the power their votes give from being abused to promote the interests of anonymous donors.

Yours sincerely,

JOHN SPENCER

London, SW18

16 May