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Greater Manchester MPs speak out

03/12/2007

Two Labour MPs from the Manchester region took to the airwaves at the weekend to defend their party against accusations of corruption in its funding system.

Salford MP Hazel Blears, who is also local government secretary, told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show that many prospective Labour donors will be deterred from contributing to the party because of the row over David Abrahams' disguised donations.

She said the events of the last week will have made it "very, very difficult" for donors to come forward.

"I think that we do need a long-term settlement for political funding in this country. Otherwise [...] this kind of thing is going to happen again and again," she stated.

"At the moment good, decent people who want to donate would find it very difficult in this kind of fevered atmosphere to do that."

James Purnell, the culture, media and sport secretary and MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that in spite of the funding furore, the government is continuing its reforms.

"You only need to look at the last few days [to see] fundamental reform of the welfare systems, of apprenticeships. There are major changes going on," he said.

"What's happening is that they're happening in the parallel universe of substance and policy."

Last month. Bolton MP Ruth Kelly apologised for spending public money on a newsletter that repeatedly referred to the Labour Party.