The Scottish Labour candidate for Dundee East has said she will not accept a £1000 donation from former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
A Dundee Labour candidate can’t reject a controversial donation from Tony Blair after publicly rejecting the cash, The Courier can reveal.
Lesley Brennan took to the internet to declare she was going to be the first would-be MP to turn down the former Prime Minister’s cash.
However, it is understood she will be told she can’t say no to the £1,000 earmarked for her bid oust Stewart Hosie as the east of the city’s representative at Westminster as it was made to her party’s central office.
Multiple senior Labour sources have confirmed the money is not hers to reject, although it is still unclear if she will be able to hand back cash from her Constituency Labour Party to the UK branch.
Ms Brennan Tweeted: “Received donation from Tony Blair. Instinct was to not accept. Discussed with team. Dundee East is not accepting the £1,000.”
Former Labour leader Mr Blair had promised more than £100,000 to help the party, with the money going to key battleground seats.
One source said: “She thinks Tony Blair’s office is going to write the Dundee Labour Party a cheque but it all comes through national spend.”
He made a donation of £1,000 to the local campaigns in 106 target constituencies across the UK, saying they were “where the election will be won for Labour”.
Ms Brennan failed to respond to several requests for further comment.
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