Parliament: Party Funding: Ancram's `hacker' claims are ridiculed

THE TORY leadership was taunted by Jack Straw yesterday after no evidence was found to support allegations that the party's accounts had been accessed by computer hackers.

The Home Secretary said Michael Ancram, the Conservative Party chairman, could be "a candidate" for charges of wasting police time.

Conservative Central Office called in the police over allegations of "dirty tricks" in the disclosure of details of its bank accounts showing donations made by party treasurer Michael Ashcroft.

Speaking after his statement on crime reduction, Mr Straw said: "I understand that the Conservative Party has still provided no details whatsoever to back up the wild allegations which they made."

He added, to laughter: "There are of course offences of wasting police time and, unless we get the details, the chairman of the Conservative Party might well be considered as a candidate for charge with such an offence."