Labour's biggest private donor revealed as… Alastair Campbell

By politics.co.uk staff

Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell donated £10,000 to the Labour party last year.

Figures from the Electoral Commission put him as the largest private donor to Labour – although in fact there has only been one other private donor since Ed Miliband became leader of the party.

Instead 87% of the Labour party's funding comes from trade unions. Labour accepted a total of £2,882,765 in the first quarter of 2011, compared to £2,882,765 for the Conservatives and £810,029 for the Liberal Democrats.

"No wonder Ed Miliband's in deficit denial," Conservative party chairman Sayeeda Warsi commented.

"Deficit denying trade unions swung him the Labour leadership, and now they're the only ones propping up the Labour party.

"Ed is now more dependent on unions than even his mentor Gordon Brown."

Under Mr Brown's leadership unions were responsible for 56% of the party's total income, the Telegraph reported.

Mr Miliband's support from trade unions during last year's party leadership election saw him emerge on top against his elder brother David, who won more support from Labour party members and the parliamentary Labour party.