Party politics

It is misleading to headline an article 'DLA gives Labour 15k' (see [2002] Gazette, 25 April, 5).

DLA as a firm is apolitical and it is wrong to suggest otherwise.

DLA and its government relations practice, DLA Upstream, works on behalf of its clients with the government and all political parties, as well as a host of other organisations such as think tanks, regulators and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Your article states that 'the [Electoral] Commission has no records of donations to the Conservatives or Liberal Democrat parties in the last year'.

This does not acknowledge that the main opposition party did not hold an event equivalent to the business liaison events held by Labour in 2001.

If it had, I suspect that DLA and its clients would have been involved - as has been the case in previous years when such events were held.

In September 2001, DLA sponsored an event at the Labour Party Conference, since this provided a suitable setting for enabling DLA and its clients to communicate with political audiences whose policies affect clients and their employees.

A distinction must be made between sponsorship, which enables a political party to meet defined expenses incurred in relation to an event, and donating money to a political party out of support for its policies and beliefs.

DLA and its clients also attended the corporate day at the 2001 Labour Party Conference.

The purchase of the corporate day pass and the sponsorship of two tables at the corporate dinner are therefore also taken into account in the total sum of 11,000.

With regard to administration, it is easier for these monies to be paid for by DLA and recharged to clients, although it is our clients who effectively paid these costs.

Finally, your article makes reference to the fact that one of the firm's employees has an elected position in London local government.

DLA supports its employees who undertake activities in their communities.

Clearly, any role in local government is separate from that performed at DLA.

DLA has had in the past employees who, separate to their work for DLA, were elected councillors for the Conservatives and other parties in other regions across the UK.

Nigel Knowles, managing partner, DLA, London