London - The Conservatives were yesterday revelling in a £5 million windfall, as the Labour leadership sharpened its political knives ahead of a general election, saying it felt sorry for anyone who gave their money to a "lost cause", Rachel Donnelly reports.
The financial coup for the Conservatives will boost the party's confidence after some disappointing results in several election polls in the past two weeks, with one showing the Tories trailing Labour by 21 per cent.
Mr Michael Ancram, the Tory party chairman, said he was "heartened" by the confidence the donor, the betting entrepreneur Mr Stuart Wheeler, had shown in Mr William Hague's ability to win the next election. He said the party would ensure that Mr Wheeler was kept informed about how and where the money - £1 million now and £4 million shortly before an election - would be spent.
Mr Wheeler said he did not want a peerage or any political influence in return for the donation.