Mr Browne does not expect any more Labour colleagues to resign

Mr Browne, who is also Scottish Secretary, added that he does not expect any more colleagues will be reported to the police over the issue.

His comments come after Peter Hain quit his cabinet posts over the row.

Scottish Labour chief Wendy Alexander also faces a probe over donations to her party leadership campaign.

Mr Hain resigned as work and pensions secretary and Wales secretary after the Electoral Commission, which is investigating more than �100,000 of undeclared donations to his deputy Labour leadership campaign, passed the case to police.

'Acted honestly'

He insists the donations were an innocent mistake and has pledged to clear his name.

A question mark hangs over Ms Alexander's political future as she faces an Electoral Commission probe into apparently illegal donations.

I am absolutely satisfied that he will be able to clear his name in relation to this Defence Secretary Des Browne

A Jersey-based businessman donated �950 after an approach from her campaign team, in an apparent breach of the law requiring donations to be from UK voters or companies.

But Mr Browne, in an interview for BBC Scotland's Politics Show, being broadcast on Sunday, said he believed those involved in the donations row had "acted honestly", adding: "I am not anticipating that anyone else will be reported to the police."

'Dithering'

Hailing Mr Hain as "a good man, very good politician, and valued colleague", he continued: "I am absolutely satisfied that he will be able to clear his name in relation to this, when he is given the space and time to do it, and that's why he's resigned from the government.

"I don't expect that any of the rest of my colleagues will need to resign from any positions that they are in."

CABINET RESHUFFLE Work and Pensions Secretary: James Purnell Culture Secretary: Andy Burnham Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Yvette Cooper Housing Minister: Caroline Flint Secretary of State for Wales: Paul Murphy Profile: James Purnell Profile: Andy Burnham

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has insisted he was right not to decide Mr Hain's future before the Electoral Commission move - despite Tory accusations of "dithering".

In a pre-recorded interview for BBC1's The Politics Show, being broadcast on Sunday, he refused to "speculate" on whether Mr Hain has a future in government if cleared.

But SNP MSP Roseanna Cunningham said Labour was clearly desperate to avoid any "domino effect" from Mr Hain's resignation.

"Des Browne and the Labour party must have an inside track to the Electoral Commission, otherwise his pronouncements may be premature," she said.

"If Wendy Alexander and her campaign team are going to get away with what they admit was breaking the law, the Electoral Commission should be open about it."

Mr Hain, MP for Neath, is the first cabinet member to quit under Mr Brown's premiership.

He was replaced at work and pensions by former culture secretary James Purnell and as Welsh secretary by Paul Murphy.