In 2006 several businessmen—all declared Lib Dem donors—paid money directly into Nick Clegg’s private bank account on a monthly basis reports the Daily Telegraph on its front page tomorrow. The Liberal Democrats point out that this money was being used to pay half the salary of a member of Clegg’s staff and not for any personal purpose and that the money was declared to the parliamentary authorities.
Clegg’s accounting is certainly sloppy. For obvious reasons, it is not ideal to have donors paying money directly into a politician’s bank account.
Politically, the problem this poses for Clegg is that he has set himself up as being above the old politics and this arrangement seems very old politics. Also, I suspect that many voters will be slightly shocked to learn that it is common practice in Westminster for donors to pay the salaries of members of MP’s staff.
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