Politics

28 February 2009

Fraser Nelson reviews the week in politics

Almost every month, Mr Cameron is asked if Lord Ashcroft is based in Britain for tax purposes. ‘You’ll have to ask him,’ he replies — and those who do get no answer. Lord Ashcroft’s allies say that answering this question would beget four new questions, magnifying the issue rather than closing it down. He once said that, if a law was passed requiring all peers to be domiciled, ‘you would still see my smiling face.’ So it is entirely possible that he already pays British taxes, but sees no reason to share this information with his persecutors.

It is often asked why Mr Cameron keeps his deputy chairman, given the incoming fire he attracts. The answer is that Lord Ashcroft has become indispensable. His target seats team has been put in charge of by-elections (it was responsible for the victories in Henley and Crewe & Nantwich) and will mastermind the local government election campaign in June. They call the shots over polling, set themes for campaigns and make regular presentations to the general election committee chaired by George Osborne.

Those who are determined to be rid of Lord Ashcroft need only wait until after the election. I am told that he has made it clear that he has no desire for ministerial office, nor any wish to hang around Tory central office once the party is back in power. If today’s polls translate into tomorrow’s election results, half of all Labour MPs (and two thirds of all Liberal Democrat members) will lose their seats. His work will be done. Labour MPs will not have Ashcroft to kick around any more. But thanks to his lethal handiwork, there will be almost certainly be far fewer of them left to do any kicking at all.

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Alan Carcas

February 26th, 2009 11:29am Report this comment

Hope to God the Tory heirarchy have got their relationship with Lord Ashcroft right..... To find that he isn't a bona fide donor after all this time would surely destroy any credibility Cameron has generated - for himself as well as the Party.

Stephen Walkley

February 27th, 2009 11:32am Report this comment

The money given by Bearwood to the Conservative did not come from profits earned by the company but by people subscribing for share at a premium of £4.6m. If the subscribers were not UK resident then Bearwood was acting as a conduit for illegal donations.

It should not take long to establish who subscribed for the shares.

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