Hain guilty of 'serious failings' in donor row

FORMER Cabinet minister Peter Hain was guilty of "serious and substantial failings" in not registering more than £100,000 of donations to his Labour deputy leadership campaign, according to Westminster's sleaze watchdog.

The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee said the scale of the rule breach caused justified public concern.

But the committee merely ordered the Neath MP to make an apology on the floor of the House after accepting there was no intention to deceive.

In a statement, Mr Hain said: "The cabinet secretary stated that I complied fully with the Ministerial Code, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) exonerated me and now the Parliamentary authorities have also accepted that the mistakes I made were honest mistakes.

"I have been asked to repeat my apology on the floor of the Commons, which I am happy to do."

The CPS has already announced it will be taking no criminal action against Mr Hain over the failures.