Pledge that no money for Tory campaign has come from Lord Ashcroft

By Ian Austen

ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk

No money has come directly from Tory deputy chairman and chief fundraiser Lord Ashcroft to help run the party's campaign in Croydon Central.

The assurance from Conservative candidate Gavin Barwell comes in response to an e-mail sent to him by his Labour counterpart Gerry Ryan.

Lord Ashcroft is at the centre of a row over his revelations that despite saying he would live in Britain and pay taxes, he in fact remained a non-domicile and is not paying tax on income from abroad.

In his e-mail, Mr Ryan wrote to Mr Barwell: "Instead of paying fair taxes, like everyone else in Croydon, Lord Ashcroft has been channelling millions into the Conservative Party to help them buy this election.

"So the next time people in Croydon see your glossy leaflets, they have a right to feel these expensive Tory campaigns come at the cost of a new school or hospital wing in Croydon."

In his response, Mr Barwell describes Mr Ryan's e-mail "as one of the most hypocritical things I have read in 12 years in local politics."

He claims that since 2001, Labour has received more than £10 million from eight "reportedly non-dom donors".

Mr Barwell told his opponent: "My campaign hasn't received a penny from Michael Ashcroft or any of his companies.

"Since early 2009, we haven't had a penny from the Conservative Party nationally either.

"There are lots of people in Croydon Central who don't want to see another five years of Gordon Brown and are prepared to dig into their own pockets to do something about it."

Mr Barwell told the Croydon Advertiser he believed a limit should be imposed on the amount individuals, companies or trade unions should be able to donate to political parties.