Minister asks for investigation on his £5k donation

Labour’s fury at shady dealings

A MINISTER has referred himself for investigation after taking cash from a shadowy organisation that does not name its members.

Guy Opperman took £5,000 from a group called the London and Northern Dining Club in October.

While MPs are required to name individual donors, a loophole allows people to remain anonymous when they give cash to “dining clubs”.

The clubs do not have to register anywhere or disclose their members.

Millions have gone to the Tories from such opaque organisations.

The London and Northern Dining Club’s address is given as riverside penthouse apartment in South London worth around £700,000.

The club is owned by David Broome and Ozkar Yasar, who run executive recruitment consultancy the Broome Yasar Partnership. They are not accused of wrongdoing.

In two years, their firm has hosted at least three events at which Mr Opperman gave speeches.

Ministers are banned from accepting payment for speeches on topics linked to their jobs. But at each event, Mr Opperman spoke about regulations that are part of his brief.

Labour wants an independent investigation into the donation.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “These revelations raise serious questions for the Government and the public deserve answers.”

Since being contacted by the Sunday Mirror, Mr Opperman has referred himself to the top official at the Department for Work and Pensions for investigation. Mr Opperman said: “This political donation has been declared properly and transparently in accordance with the rules and was not connected to events I attended as a minister.

“To ensure confidence, I have asked the permanent secretary to take an independent look into the facts.”

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said in a statement: “The minister has asked the department to examine the facts around these events which he attended in a ministerial capacity.”

mikey.smith@mirror.co.uk £14.7BILLION TORY WASTE: PAGE 6

This raises serious questions ...we need answers ANGELA RAYNER DEPUTY LABOUR LEADER

Minister Guy Opperman SPEECHES