According to a reporter posing as a wealthy Indian businessman, he dined with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander at a fundraising dinner and a private meeting and, last night, the Liberal Democrats investigated claims that a key aide to Nick Clegg accepted a potentially illegal party donation.
Who is Danny Alexander?
Former politician Sir Daniel Grian Alexander or Danny Alexander was the Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2010 to 2015. He was born on May 15, 1972. From 2005 until the general election in May 2015, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey constituency.
Danny Alexander served as Nick Clegg’s chief of staff, the chair of the Liberal Democrat Manifesto Group, and the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson on work and pensions during his first parliamentary term (2005–2010).
He was one of the four Liberal Democrat MPs, along with Andrew Stunell, Chris Huhne, and David Laws, who participated in negotiating the coalition agreement for the new coalition government with the Conservative Party after the 2010 general election resulted in a hung parliament.
Danny Alexander was initially appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, but after David Laws resigned at the end of May 2010, he was promoted to Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
On August 27, 2015, he received a knighthood as part of the Dissolution Honours Lists.
The reporter claimed Ibrahim Taguri, the Liberal Democrats’ ex-chief fundraiser, told him he could donate through a “cousin.”
He was advised to gift other family members and backdate a cheque to the party.
This donation method would hide his identity from official records, violating the rules.
Mr. Taguri, a London MP candidate, accepted a cheque from the “proxy donor” earlier this month. He claimed the money would “open doors”.
Mr. Clegg appointed Mr. Taguri a racial equality spokesman in January. He allegedly set up the undercover reporter’s meeting with Mr. Alexander, the party’s second-in-command.
Last night, the Liberal Democrats were looking into allegations that a significant Nick Clegg aide had accepted a potentially illegal donation to the group.
An undercover journalist claiming to be a wealthy Indian businessman claims Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, invited him to a fundraiser dinner and a private meeting.
Mr. Danny Alexander allegedly urged the fictitious businessman to give more money during the meeting, but he claimed he did not want to “intrude on the details” of his donations.
Mr. Alexander was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying, “I just want you to know that I, personally, am very, very grateful for what you are doing and for what you are offering to do. ” This was reportedly a private conversation.
“It really will have an impact on the election results.”
A party spokesman told the newspaper that the allegations were being investigated.
Additionally, it was alleged that he received advice to divide gifts among other family members and even to backdate a check to the event in order to conceal the true identity of the benefactor from view in official documents.
But a spokesman for the Liberal Democrats insisted that Danny Alexander had done nothing improper.
Reports said Mr Taguri earlier this month accepted a cheque on behalf of the party for more than £7500 from the “proxy donor” and the senior Liberal Democrat said the money would “open doors.
The undercover journalist was then allegedly invited to a dinner fundraiser and a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Alexander.
The Highland MP allegedly told the fictitious businessman at that meeting that he should give the party more money but made it clear that he didn’t want to “intrude on the details” of his contributions.
Mr. Alexander was quoted as saying in private conversations that he was “very, very grateful” for what the fictitious businessman was doing for the party.
At a different gathering, Mr. Taguri allegedly told him that his donation and the pledge of an additional gift of up to £100,000 would “open doors” for the party, which would be extremely appreciative.
No one was available to comment when the Mr. Alexander’s office was contacted.
The controversy surrounding a phoney Chinese company that offered to pay for the consulting services of former foreign secretaries Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw has been followed by these most recent allegations.
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