ASHCROFT ACCUSED IN THE COMMONS

A LABOUR MP revealed to the Commons yesterday details from what he
said were confidential US Drug Enforcement Administration files
linking Michael Ashcroft to investigations into money laundering and
drug trafficking.

Peter Bradley, Labour MP for the Wrekin, has the protection of
Parliamentary privilege, which means he cannot be sued for libel. He cited
files he claimed were from the DEA, the FBI and the International Narcotics
Bureau. He told MPs: "In 1989 Mr Ashcroft's name was linked to a DEA drug
trafficking inquiry that stretched across Europe, the US and Canada."

In 1992 a man "was arrested and jailed for laundering money gained
from organised crime through Michael Ashcroft's Belize bank. In 1993
the DEA conducted an investigation of Belize-linked businesses half of
which were connected to Michael Ashcroft. Twelve of the 20-odd that
they investigated had links to Michael Ashcroft.

"In 1994 the DEA file reports observing Michael Ashcroft taking a
flight from the US to the Caribbean and it referred to, and I quote,
'Possible air smuggling /money laundering under way by Michael
Ashcroft'. And it reported also that the plane was owned and piloted
by two suspected drug traffickers." Mr Bradley continued: "In 1996 he
was the subject of another investigation.

"In 1997 a man arrested in Holland on suspicion of drugs offences gave
as his address the same address in Belize as Mr Ashcroft's principal
company, Belize Holdings. These are serious matters. I do not claim
that Michael Ashcroft is guilty of any offence. I simply do not know."

He said William Hague should be concerned about such allegations. "The
drip, drip, drip of disclosures is becoming a torrent which threatens
to engulf the Conservative Party." He demanded that Mr Hague refer Mr
Ashcroft to his party's integrity and ethics committee, sack him as
treasurer and return donations he had made to Tories in recent years.

In a separate intervention, Dennis Skinner, Labour MP for Bolsover,
said: "The Tory Opposition are receiving a million pounds a year from
one of the biggest drug runners in the West. Isn't it high time that
the Leader of the Opposition had the guts to get rid of him?"