Tory Lord Ashcroft accused of sleaze

Commons leader Harriet Harman yesterday continued Labour's attack on Tory donor Lord Ashcroft, accusing him of "sleaze on a multi-million pound scale".

But her comments caused fury among Tory MPs who demanded she withdraw her remarks about the billionaire deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.

A defiant Ms Harman refused, telling MPs she had been asked about Lord Ashcroft and she was entitled to her view.

She was speaking as news emerged that the peer will be questioned by the Commons Public Administration Select Committee amid controversy over his peerage and tax status.

During questions on future Commons business Ms Harman said: "I welcome the decision announced this morning by the Public Administration Committee that they are going to do an inquiry into this matter.

"But I am afraid I cannot offer to tone down my views on this. The truth is this is sleaze on a multi-million pound scale."

Ms Harman had been asked about Lord Ashcroft by Liberal Democrat frontbencher David Heath, who asked her to talk about the issues of funding marginal seats and appointments to the House of Lords. Her comments led to angry cries of "withdraw" from the Tory benches, with Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle) demand-ing: "Is it acceptable to accuse a member of another place of sleaze?"

Commons Speaker John Bercow said there would be time for points of order later and then told Ms Harman: "I understand that you don't want to qualify or compromise your views.

"But we are making references to a member of another place and that does have to be done with considerable care."

He told her to concentrate on the business of the Commons in her replies.

Ms Harman said: "It is the business of the House that a select committee have announced..."

"To further cries of "withdraw" she said: "No I am not going to with draw it, no I am not going to. I was asked a question about this, I am entitled to answer the question and I am entitled to put my views forward.

"I hope when the select com-mittee hold their investigation they will call the shadow foreign secretary (William Hague) and I hope he will be more honest and forthcoming with them than he has been over the last eight years."