Tory Peter Cruddas sold access to PM, Sunday Times alleges

[Magda Hassan]

Ex Tory media adviser accused of offering potential donors chance to form policy

A former media adviser to the Conservative Party has been accused of offering potential donors the chance to help form political policy ahead of the next election.

Ed Staite responded to the Sunday Times accusations in his blog










By Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent

7:29PM BST 30 Mar 2012


Ed Staite, a public relations consultant, was filmed by undercover journalists from a Sunday newspaper posing as donors who wanted to influence George Osborne, the Chancellor.

He is reported to have told the potential donors claiming to be from a City fund that they could "communicate their priorities" if they help fund a "policy group".

He allegedly told the reporters they could come up with their own idea for a policy group for the party in exchange for funding

Mr Staite is also accused of saying the potential donors could try to use their influence to benefit their business strategy by pushing for the sale of the Royal Mail and other assets.

In a rebuttal on his blog, Mr Staite admits suggesting the potential donors could "make a positive contribution to the political process" but denies suggesting any way in which they would be "paying for influence".


He claims that being threatened with "flimsy allegations is entrapment of the worst kind".
"They lied to meet me, took up at least a day of my time and, I assume filmed the whole thing while lying further as a way to attempt entrapment," he wrote on his blog. "I outlined a way to make a positive contribution to the political process instead of paying for influence as the journalists continually advocated."
A spokesman for the Conservative Party said he could not comment Mr Staite's claims to influence policy.
"Ed Staite is not a member of the Conservative Party," he said. "In the past the Party has had policy groups but we don't have any at present."
Policy groups exists to give party members the chance to discuss major policies that could be included in the 2015 election manifesto.
The accusations are another blow to David Cameron, as he tries to draw a line under the Conservative Party's "cash-for-access" scandal last week.
The Prime Minister ordered an inquiry, after Peter Cruddas, a co-treasurer of the party, was filmed by the same undercover reporters offering big donors the chance to have a private dinner in Downing Street and the chance to influence policy.
Mr Cruddas resigned following the incident, saying his claims were "bluster", and David Cameron said the comments were "completely unacceptable".
"It's quite right that Peter Cruddas has resigned. I will make sure there is a proper party inquiry to make sure this can't happen again," Mr Cameron said at the time.
The undercover reporters were introduced to Mr Staite by Sarah Southern, a lobbyist, who also helped set up the meeting with Mr Cruddas.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics...olicy.html