Fresh questions about David Abrahams’s donations to the Labour Party were raised by MPs last night after it emerged that he is behind a £60m business park granted planning permission after he gave £160,000 to the party. Daily Telegraph

Plans for the 540-acre Durham Green Business Park were originally turned down by the Highways Agency on the grounds that it would cause too much congestion on the A1.

But last year the Highways Agency, which answers to the Department for Transport, removed its objections. The local Labour council approved the scheme.

On Oct 19 last year a new company was set up to develop the site, called Durham Green Developments. It has only two directors, Ray Ruddick and Janet Kidd, the two employees of David Abrahams through whom he made donations of nearly £400,000 to Labour.

Abrahams is not a director of the company, but it is registered at his home address in Gosforth, Newcastle. Ruddick is 'site co-ordinator' of the business park. He described last year how the development had a 'unique advantage' over other, similar plans turned down because of their proximity to the A1.

Asked if he could explain his role in the development, he said: 'No comment whatsoever to make.'