This is all public information anyway but it's a question of making sure it gets to people

Charles Clarke Labour Party chairman

The Labour Party chairman told the paper: "Even if a minister is not aware of the donation nobody is going to believe that, so why not have the whole thing much more transparent?

"This is all public information anyway but it's a question of making sure it gets to people so that everybody is absolutely clear about what the situation is."

Deterrent

Mr Clarke added: "This is all public information anyway but it's a question of making sure it gets to people so that everybody is absolutely clear about what the situation is."

He also voiced concerns that the series of controversies surrounding party contributions may deter wealthy business people from making donations.

Earlier he said government reforms to make party donations clearer had contributed to the current furore.

Mr Clarke told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "The Labour Party, the government, has created a stick for its own back because we decided it was very important to be transparent about all donations.

"So we have insisted - in the teeth of opposition from the Conservatives - that all donations should be in the public arena and that is what they are."