Charlotte MacKenzie has written to the local Tory PPC demanding answers on funding from Lord Ashcroft:

     “I am writing to follow up some of your comments at the recent Falmouth School hustings; these were about what I can only describe as your party’s Deputy Chairman Lord Ashcroft’s bankrolling of political campaigns.

     The facts have been widely reported. In 1999, when Conservative leader at the time William Hague first recommended Lord Ashcroft for a Peerage, he was rejected. It was only in 2000, after he promised to return to live in Britain and pay tax here, that the House of Lords allowed him to become a member. It has now emerged that this is a promise he never kept. Instead of paying tens of millions of pounds in tax – money that might have helped to fund Cornish schools and hospitals – Lord Ashcroft chose to spend the money on Conservative political campaigns instead. 

     I have three simple questions for you in relation to Lord Ashcroft: 

1. Do you think it is right that Lord Ashcroft should have been allowed by your party’s leaders to conceal the truth about his status for 10 years?

2. Will you repay any money that has come from Lord Ashcroft or one of his companies directly or indirectly via Tory central office?

3. Will you rule out taking any donations from Lord Ashcroft or his companies in future?  

I won’t allow a fair future for people in Cornwall to be bought off by a billionaire from Belize. People here have a right to know how many £s from Lord Ashcroft’s donations have been spent on your Conservative campaigns contacting people in Truro and Falmouth constituency. At the Falmouth School public event you said you would be privileged if you were elected, and I agree. 

     Next time people in Truro and Falmouth receive one of your letters or leaflets, they have a right to feel and recognise that your expensive Tory campaigns may have come at the cost of a new school or new health care facilities for people in Cornwall. The Conservative Party also want to cut Sure Start, cut the Child Tax Credit, and scrap the Child Trust Fund for millions of UK families.  While at the same time giving the richest people in Britain a huge £200,000 tax break.

     Given the importance of this matter I am copying this letter to local media.

     I would not want this letter to compromise our friendly and direct recognition as the two main Party candidates here since 2007. The coming general election will be a choice between a Labour and Tory government, and we have one shared belief in common: Cornwall needs representation of the Party in Government.

 

Yours sincerely

Charlotte”