An argument over a will is just the sort of thing this slow-moving summer needs. Today’s row isn’t between two factions of a family, but the two parties in the Coalition and the Daily Mail, which reports that a donation from a Mrs Joan LB Edwards was split between the two parties when her will suggests she wanted it donated to the government, rather than political parties.
The paper’s report quotes a section of her will, which it says it has seen:
‘I bequeath all my estate both real and personal to… whichever government is in office at the date of my death for the government in their absolute discretion to use as they may think fit.’
The parties are arguing that the donation was passed on out of the blue and that they did everything properly their end. There is plenty of debate this morning about the decision taken by the executors. It is not clear what that decision was, but as with family disputes over wills, this row will only grow more bitter if the two parties don’t take swift action. Labour has decided that this is a good line of attack. It isn’t really, especially if the decision to make a political donation was taken by the executors. But the golden rule about party funding debates always being grubby and never helping the wider perception of politics still stands. Unfortunately for the two parties who received the donation, it will probably mean donating Mrs Joan LB Edwards’ money to a good cause pretty sharpish so they can shake off the ‘grasping politicians’ charge.
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