Counting the cost

The latest scandal over obscured donations to the Labour Party has now spread to Scotland where the Electoral Commission is also investigating donations given to Wendy Alexander's leadership campaign. The Scottish Labour Party leader's team has admitted asking for funding from a millionaire tax exile which, although not in breach of the letter of the law, is an illustration of its limits: for example, that donations of less than £1000 do not have to be made public. Ms Alexander's campaign received £17,000 in donations, each one below that ceiling (in the end there was no contest for the position).