'I am a sex addict', says Tory donor

Lord Laidlaw, the multimillionaire Tory donor, has pledged a £1m donation to an addiction charity after a Sunday newspaper published lurid claims about his addiction to sex.

The Monaco-based peer admitted his lifelong problem after the News of the World claimed he had held sex parties with prostitutes. In a letter to the newspaper, Lord Laidlaw, who has given more than £3m to the Conservatives and paid £25,000 to Boris Johnson's mayoral campaign, said he had been "fighting sexual addiction for my whole adult life". He said he was seeking "expert help" and plans to give £1m to a British addiction charity.

Lord Laidlaw said: "Sexual addiction is comparable to other, better-known addictions such as drug, alcohol and gambling. There is no cure for it and self-help is rarely successful."

Dawn Butler, a Labour vice-chairman, condemned the peer's actions.

She said: "If they have any respect for the women of this country, I hope David Cameron and Boris Johnson will return the millions of pounds they have been given by Lord Laidlaw or hand over the money to a charity helping abused women. That would send the right signal that his behaviour is unacceptable."