DLA gives Labour 15k

Top City firm DLA donated more than 15,000 to the Labour Party last year, according to Electoral Commission data.The commission recorded 11,050 donated to the party's head office in September 2001, plus 5,554 in November to the National Labour Party.These payments were made by DLA Corporate Advisory Ltd, according to the commission.Kevin Craig, director and head of media at DLA Upstream - the lobbying branch of the firm - said the payments were not strictly donations, but were made for participation in certain Labour party events by DLA partners and clients.'DLA would take the opportunity to attend events like these arranged by any of the major political parties,' Mr Craig said.

However, the commission has no records of donations to the Conservatives or Liberal Democrats in the last year.Mr Craig is a Labour Party councillor at Lambeth Borough Council and a former researcher to a current but unnamed senior government minister.

During last year's general election, he was a voluntary worker in the Labour Party's Millbank media team.The data also showed traditional Labour-supporting firm Thompsons - which acts for many trade unions - donating 15,000 over the same period, while Cardiff firm Leo Abse & Cohen donated 2,100.

Leo Abse was a Welsh Labour MP for 39 years until 1997.Jeremy Fleming