Osborne faces questions over donations

Updated 19.21 Sun Jan 13 2008

Keywords: George Osborne

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne is facing questions after failing to fully declare £487,000 he received from donors last year.

The Conservative Party was given a donation which was then channelled to Mr Osborne's office after donors requested he received a specific sum.

The Conservative Party was given a donation which was then channelled to Mr Osborne's office after donors requested he received a specific sum

In a newspaper, he blamed his failure to report the funds to the Register of Members' Interests on unclear instructions from a Commons official - although it had been declared to the Electoral Commission as required.

It comes after Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain was criticised for also failing to declare a donation of £100,000 which was used to fund his failed Labour deputy leadership bid.

Mr Osborne said he was now seeking a ruling from the Commons standards committee on the matter.

The Tories say they are holding off on calling for Mr Hain's resignation until the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner reports on the matter.