Harman rejects jibes about 'sleazy labour'

LONDON - Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman denied any wrongdoing in the party funding row on Thursday, rejecting opposition claims that voters think the government is "sleazy".

Harman, leader of the House of Commons, said she acted in good faith in accepting a 5,000-pound donation from property developer David Abrahams through a go-between.

In a lively exchange in parliament with her Tory Shadow Theresa May, Harman said: "The honourable lady can huff and puff, but she will not blow this leader of the House down.

"Myself and my campaign team acted at all times in good faith. We acted at all times within both the letter and the spirit of the law."

May accused Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Harman and her husband, the Labour Party treasurer Jack Dromey, of being like the fabled three wise monkeys: "They see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.

"The public knows sleaze when they see it, the people know spin when they hear it and the voters will know what to do when they have their say. They will get rid of this sleazy Labour government."

The Liberal Democrats have called for a police inquiry into the secret donations.

On Wednesday, Brown, who has called the payments "unlawful", sought to limit the political fallout from the growing scandal.

He brushed aside calls at Prime Minister's Questions to call in police over the 600,000 pounds Abrahams donated.

"It has got to be investigated as a matter of urgency," Brown told parliament. "Two internal inquiries have been set up within the Labour Party, and the Electoral Commission will investigate.

"I am determined to make sure that political party finances are above board."

Electoral laws require those making donations on behalf of others to give details of the source of the money.

Abrahams said he didn't realise that using middlemen to donate to Labour was against the law and that he had merely wanted to avoid publicity.

Labour's General Secretary Peter Watt resigned on Monday after the row erupted at the weekend.