He hates politicians and He's off to the bingo

Ruddick and Kidd were catapulted into the political bearpit yesterday when it emerged they had agreed to act as intermediaries for a publicity-shy millionaire, so that he could back Labour. The arrangement backfired because although Kidd and Ruddick are listed at Companies House as directors of some of Abrahams's property companies, their circumstances are not those of big funders.

The builder, who is 55 and lives in the unfashionable Blakelaw area of Newcastle, initially expressed disbelief that he and Kidd could have handed over £196,850 to Labour since 2003 and that joint gifts of £220,000 could have ranked them behind only Lord Sainsbury and Mahmoud Khayami since Brown succeeded Tony Blair.

Abrahams said he was sure Ruddick's comments came because he was taken by surprise and was trying to protect his friend and employer. He said: "He was told by me quite unequivocally not to make any comment. I think he was trying to protect my identity and did what he thought was best. He had no time to take advice and he got himself a little confused. But he had the money in his bank account and he wrote the cheques."