More on this via the London Sunday Times:”A millionaire businessman has lifted the lid on how Labour is concealing money given by wealthy backers who are then nominated for peerages. Labour has raised up to £10m from donors but has hidden the payments because they were made as loans, which do not have to be declared. Three of the donors were put forward for peerages by Tony Blair last autumn. The confidential loan arrangements have been revealed by Chai Patel, chief executive of the Priory healthcare group and a party supporter who has donated £100,000 to Labour.

He discloses today that he was asked by a senior Labour fundraiser to provide an unsecured loan even though he was prepared to give a donation. Within weeks of agreeing to the £1.5m loan, he was told he had been nominated by Blair for a peerage. He was advised by Labour officials that he did not have to disclose the loan. If he had given the money as a donation, it would have had to be declared to the Electoral Commission and published, so exposing Labour to a potential cash-for-honours controversy. “

Remember that seats in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of Britain’s legislature, come with a vote.

Fans of Tony Blair should read the whole thing. It won’t be news for anyone else.