The Sunday quality press are asking questions – which means that they already have the answers from elsewhere – about the involvement of international development secretary Andrew Mitchell on behalf of a tory party donor who also happens to be one of the world's richest cocoa dealers.
The Sunday Times, Observer and a few others relate how Mitchell, was reportedly asked for help by Anthony Ward of Armajaro Holdings, whose firm had been banned from trading cocoa out of Ghana over allegations that a contractor was involved in smuggling.
It is alleged the minister telephoned the British high commissioner in Ghana on the issue in breach of departmental guidelines which prevent ID ministers exerting influence to promote British business interests overseas. There is a further claim that officials in Mitchell's office contacted the Foreign Office to say that the matter required "urgent attention". A partial trading ban imposed on the company has now been lifted.
Armajaro donated £40,000 to Mitchell's parliamentary office between August 2006 and December 2009 whilst he was shadow minister. The firm donated £50,000 separately to the Conservative party in 2004.
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