Abrahams plan was fast-tracked

Dec 10 2007 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

THE Newcastle businessman at the centre of the Labour party donations scandal had a planning application fast tracked.

David Abrahams, who donated more than £600,000 via proxy donors, had plans for the Durham Green business park included in a Government pilot scheme aimed at speeding up the decision process.

In December 2005 he handed out more than £99,000 in secret donations to the Labour party.

A month after the donations, Mr Abrahams’ development was included in the Planning Delivery Agreements project – a Government scheme aimed at unblocking the often restrictive planning system.

Permission was granted for the Durham business park later that year.

Police are currently investigating the events surrounding the decision to grant planning permission following a request by Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne.

Yesterday the Lib Dem leadership hopeful said the revelation “only adds to the need for a full inquiry.”

Mr Huhne said: “I am very disturbed at this latest disclosure.

“While there is no connection between the donations and the fast track planning process, it is crucial that the police investigate.”

The Labour party is carrying out its own internal review to see how secret donations were allowed to continue.

The Government has denied any conflict of interest. A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said the decision to include the project on the fast-track scheme was made at the request of Durham City Council.

All the 21 schemes submitted to the Government for consideration in the PDA project were approved.

A spokesman for Mr Abrahams said the donations had no impact on the planning process.

He said: “Civil servants would have been in the lead in this process, giving advice to ministers. It was not a case of ministers running their fingers down a list of possible candidates and deciding which ones should be included.

“In no way would any minister have been connecting all this.

“They would not even have known about the donations and that is the right way to conduct this process.”

Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000, details of any donor making gifts through a third party must be registered and reported to the Electoral Commission.

Mr Abrahams’ donations were unlawful because people must use their own names when giving more than £5,000 to political parties.

London’s Metropolitan Police are looking into the donations following a request by the Electoral Commission.

Mr Abrahams has always insisted the donations were only kept secret because he wanted to remain anonymous and out of the spotlight.