Lib Dems not in the clear over Brown

THE Liberal Democrats face being sued unless the party returns a £2.4 million donation, it was reported.
The Times said that lawyers had written to the party on behalf of four millionaires who were claiming that the money was theirs. The money - the biggest donation in the Lib Dems' history was passed to the party by Majorca-based businessman Michael Brown through his London-based company 5th Avenue Partners in February and March 2005. Mr Brown is awaiting extradition from Spain after being arrested last week on suspicion of fraud. Lawyers for Martin Edwards, a former chairman of Manchester United, Chinese businessmen Kevin So and Yan Lucy Lu, and retired Los Angeles attorney Robert William Mann, have now written to the party to ask for the money to be returned, The Times claimed. A party spokesman said: “The Liberal Democrats accepted this donation in good faith, having conducted appropriate checks into 5th Avenue partners and the present legal action has no bearing whatsoever on Michael Brown's relationship with the Lib Dems and will no doubt be dealt with by the appropriate legal authorities.” Mr Brown was barred from personally donating to the party because he is not on Britain's electoral register.