A CAMPAIGNER who has claimed the Indian community would “not feel safe” if Humza Yousaf became first minister has donated £20,000 to Scottish Labour, it has been revealed.
Glasgow businessman Neil Lal, who is the chairman of the Indian Council of Scotland and used to be the president of a Scottish Conservatives group, gave the money to Labour in November according to the Electoral Commission which has published donations records for the final quarter of 2022 this week, The Herald reported.
It was Scottish Labour’s biggest donation from an individual in that period.
Lal issued a statement last month on behalf of his council criticising Yousaf which ended up wrongly attributed to a Wasif Ahmed who was claimed to be the “chair of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB)”.
Contacted by The National at the time, the MCB said that not only is Ahmad not the chair of their organisation, he holds no position with them whatsoever, even in association.
Lal was once the chair and president of the Scottish Conservatives Friends of India group, but in 2020 the party said the group was in “no way affiliated to them”.
The Indian Council of Scotland also backed Penny Mordaunt in the Tory leadership race to replace Boris Johnson.
Lal – who has links with the Alba party too through his family’s property interests - additionally attended the launch of the Together UK Foundation in London alongside Brexiteer Steve Baker and former DUP leader Arlene Foster.
The Electoral Commission records show political parties registered in the UK have reported accepting more than £51 million in donations and public funds last year -around £300,000 more than in 2021.
Records indicate it is Lal’s first declarable donation to any political party.
Alba has its Glasgow office base in a building owned by a family firm run by Lal, with Lal’s mum acting as the party’s landlord.
Alba general secretary Chris McEleny denied orchestrating the attack on Yousaf for the party’s benefit.
Lal told The Herald: “I am in the fortunate position I can support a wide range of charities.
“In India, my family foundation, the Lal Sharma Foundation, funds food supplies to Indian orphanages. In the UK, we support many charities, including organisations/charities.
"My donation to the Labour Party is done on the same basis as all my charitable giving.
“I firmly believe the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar’s stewardship is best placed to help the poor in Scotland and across the United Kingdom. All my donations are personal and are not related to the Indian Councils of Scotland and the UK.”
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party is in a strong and positive financial position, having experienced significant growth in income throughout 2022.
“As we head towards a general election, donors are returning and we are investing in new talent.
"The Labour Party is a changed party that is serious about getting into government and building a fairer, greener, more dynamic Britain.”
