Tory by-election candidate partied at Labour fundraiser

The Conservative candidate who is fighting a crucial parliamentary by-election was selected to fight the seat within just three days of joining the Tory party – and just eight days after he attended a Labour Party fundraising event where he was photographed with Tony Blair.

Tony Lit, 34, was chosen as Tory standard-bearer in the Ealing Southall constituency on 28 June, barely a week after his radio company had pledged £8,800 to the Labour Party, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

The revelations will come as an embarrassing blow to David Cameron, who rubber-stamped Mr Lit's lightning selection as he drives to increase the ethnic diversity of his party's candidates.

Sunrise Radio, of which Mr Lit was managing director until he quit to stand for Parliament, made a £4,800 donation to Labour to attend its fundraiser. It pledged a further £4,000 when it successfully bid for a trip to America, including two places at a fundraising dinner for Hillary Clinton.

The Tories have put a monumental effort into the Ealing Southall by-election and had been confident of driving the Liberal Democrats into third place, and even of stealing the seat from Labour on Thursday.

Mr Lit is a well-known figure in the Asian community and the son of millionaire media tycoon Dr Avtar Lit, who founded Sunrise, an Asian radio station. The candidate has attracted huge amounts of attention during the campaign, not least because of his matinee-idol good looks. But his attendance at the Labour Party function and the details of his selection have prompted accusations of opportunism.

The "Celebrating Diversity" dinner, attended by a clutch of millionaire Labour supporters, featured Asian dancing girls and a tribute band to the Drifters, whose hits include the song "Money Honey". The Conservative candidate was said to be in good spirits at the fundraiser, which was held in the ballroom of the riverbank Plaza on London's Embankment.

Mr Lit is believed to have been aware of the £4,800 cash gift to Labour. The cash for the £4,000 auction bid has not yet been received by Labour, but once it has been the donation will exceed £5,000. This will mean that under the law Labour will have to declare Sunrise as an official party donor.

Mr Lit, whose selection has prompted the defection of several local councillors from Labour to the Tories, said last night: "As a businessman, I did indeed attend this event for the Asian business community, but like many British Asians I feel the Labour government does not rise to the challenges that this country faces."

A Conservative spokes- man claimed Mr Lit's attendance at the Labour dinner would not effect the outcome of the campaign. He said: "This is a dinner organised for Asian businesses and Sunrise Radio attended. Tony Lit has always been a Conservative voter."

But Joan Ryan, Labour MP for Enfield North, said: "This breathtaking and naked Tory opportunism will not fool the people of Ealing and Southall.

"David Cameron's personal intervention to overrule local Tories and appoint a candidate has totally backfired. He may lack judgement with his choice of candidate but the voters of Ealing and Southall will see through his charade on Thursday."

The by-election on Thursday was prompted by the death of Piara Khabra, the 85-year-old Labour MP, and will take place at the same time as the poll in Sedgefield, Tony Blair's former constituency.

The revelations will deflect some attention from Labour's own embarrassment after it emerged that the party had accepted funds from Owen Oyston, a millionaire convicted rapist, to attend last week's £1,000-a-head function at Wembley Stadium. Gordon Brown ordered the cash to be returned immediately.