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Allegations of a fresh sleaze scandal linking the sale of British Rail leasing companies and donors to Conservative Party funds were made last night by Glenda Jackson, the Labour spokeswoman on transport.

Three members of the consortium that acquired Eversholt Leasing company were significant contributors to the Tory Party, she said. Hanson Trust had donated annually pounds 100,000 to the Tory party from 1991 to 1995-6. The Royal Bank of Scotland, who provided the Tory Party with a pounds 19m overdraft, owned Legal and General who contributed pounds 234,000 to Tory Party coffers between 1979 and 1995. And Candover Investments Plc donated sums of up to pounds 10,000. Hambros, the merchant bankers who advised the Government on the sale of the BR rolling stock in three companies, donated pounds 368,000 to the Conservative Party between 1979 and 1990 with further sums of up to pounds 112,000 a year donated since then. Sir Charles Hambro, the company's chairman, is also a Conservative Party treasurer.

"The sale of the leasing companies has become one of the great scandals of this Parliament," Ms Jackson said. "Massive profits have been made on the gross undervaluation of public assets." Colin Brown