A LABOUR prospective parliamentary candidate has sent back the £1,000 cheque from Tony Blair which was designed to help him win his “battleground” marginal seat.

Pendle’s Azhar Ali and his constituency Labour Party declined the donation from the former prime minister, citing the Iraq War as the reason.

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His Rossendale and Darwen counterpart Will Straw accepted the gift, despite his personal opposition to the conflict which began in 2003.

So has Julie Cooper, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Burnley.

Mr Blair donated £1,000 to help Labour’s election campaign in 106 target constituencies, saying they were “where the election will be won for Labour”.

County-council health boss Mr Ali said: “After a discussion with Pendle Labour Party, I have sent the cheque back. We do not need it.”

Asked if the decision was connected with the Iraq War, he said: “Yes.”

Pendle Labour Party vice-chairman David Foat said: “We discussed this matter and there are a range of views about the Iraq War. It lost us a lot of support in Pendle. We decided we could do without the donation.”

Mr Straw said: “I am happy to accept this donation from Labour’s most successful party leader, who won three elections.

“I opposed the Iraq War. Despite that, Mr Blair was a great party leader and prime minister who did a lot for the country, including the minimum wage, sustained investment in the National Health Service and extended parental leave. His record speaks for itself.”

Peter Pike, chairman of Burnley Labour Party and former MP for the town, said: “We are quite happy to accept £1,000 for our campaign from Tony Blair.

“I voted against the conflict as an MP.

“Tony was a great prime minister and a very successful Labour leader, winning three elections.”

Pendle’s sitting Tory MP Andrew Stephenson said: “As Azhar was an adviser to the Blair government, it is quite ironic he has sent the money back.

“It seems like a cheap political stunt.”

A Labour spokesman said the party was delighted that Mr Blair had put his own money behind the campaign.

Since the Iraq War, Mr Blair has been the subject of accusations of war crimes.

Critics of his actions, including Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harold Pinter and Arundhati Roy, have called for his trial at the International Criminal Court.