THE Tories continue to outstrip Labour in fund-raising ahead of the next General Election, receiving more than £4m in donations in the first quarter of this year, the latest figures show.

But the £2.8m flowing into Labour’s coffers was slightly up on the previous three months, while the Opposition’s total was about a million pounds down, according to Electoral Commission records.

Donations to all parties in the period were up slightly at £9.1m, despite the recession, but the figures precede the furore over MPs’ expenses which many fear will have put off benefactors.

The value of loans still to be paid off by all parties now tops £20m.

The Commission also reported that the British National Party had returned five donations from non-permissible sources and that Labour was one of several parties facing investigation for failing to report donations on time.

The Conservatives’ biggest donation by far was £1,080,500 from Stanley Fink, the top city executive brought in earlier this year to spearhead the party’s pre-election fundraising.

Labour received £762,404.80 from shopworkers’ union Usdaw.