Crossrail firm gave cash to Labour

Is anyone at all surprised by this story. "ONE of Britain’s biggest property developers gave more than £120,000 to the Labour party to help to gain access to ministers and key officials during a lobbying campaign for a new rail link.

Canary Wharf Group gave Labour the funds as part of its campaign for the £16 billion Crossrail scheme to link the City of London and the Isle of Dogs to Heathrow. The last donation, of £35,000, was made on September 29 this year, six days before Gordon Brown gave the project the go-ahead.

Company reports say the political donations made over a four-year period were used for the “promotion” of Crossrail. A senior executive told The Sunday Times: “You do find you get access to people to talk.” He added: “We are not saying we are making a donation and therefore Crossrail will come our way. We are saying we want to engage in the political process and to be seen to be engaged you have to make donations.” "

As ever, do read the whole article from today's Sunday Times.