An Englishman's Castle

Hain fights to rescue reputation - icWales

IT has arguably not been the best of years for Peter Hain.

His campaign to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Party – which began well with him being the first to announce he had enough MPs backing him to stand – saw him come fifth of six.

But nothing compares to how he must have felt to have opened his newspapers to see headlines like:
HAIN: DEEPER INTO DONORGATE.

Reading on he would have found his fitness for his position seriously being questioned for the first time in his career, having been “plunged deeper into the scandal” of Labour’s so-called donorgate affair.

The accusation is simple: Mr Hain – or, more likely, his staff – failed to fill in papers about campaign cash.

The minister said his failure to register the payments was “extremely regrettable” and apologised, while sources stressed the failure to declare the money was an “administrative error”.....

Heads have not rolled. Mr Brown is alleged to have urged Ms Alexander not to resign over her part in the scandal as it would weaken Ms Harman’s position and therefore, by implication, that of Mr Hain.

For one senior figure to quit would cause a domino rally – each of those involved would have to go.

The only elected official to quit is the party’s Shadow Transport Minister in Scotland, Charlie Gordon, who solicited the suspect donation to Ms Alexander’s leadership campaign earlier this year.

It helps Mr Hain’s cause that even his biggest detractors are not prepared to try to pin any charge of corruption or dodgy dealing on the Neath MP. He is generally seen as an honest man.