A LABOUR parliamentary candidate in the North-East's most marginal seat has accepted a financial donation from Tony Blair.

Louise Baldock, who hopes to win the Stockton South seat currently held by Conservative James Wharton, accepted £1,000 from the former Prime Minister and Sedgefield MP.

Mr Blair made a donation of £1,000 to the local campaigns in 106 target constituencies, saying they were "where the election will be won for Labour".

However, Dundee East's Labour candidate Lesley Brennan said her constituency would not take the money.

Writing on Twitter she said: "Instinct was to not accept. Discussed with team. Dundee East is not accepting the £1000."

Ms Baldock said: "Yes I have received a donation from Tony Blair and yes I accepted it and if the candidate in Scotland doesn't want hers, I will happily take that too. We need every penny we can get to fight the Tories."

She added that she has received about £50,000 in donations but believes her rival had received four times that amount.

Last November it was revealed the Conservative MP received £22,000, almost as much as that given to the whole of the Plaid Cymru party over the same three-month period.

According to the theyworkforyou website, which references the Electoral Commission, Mr Wharton, who has a majority of just 332, received money from the United and Cecil Club under which donors can give up to £7,500 without declaring their identity. Other donors include the owner of Camerons Brewery, David Soley, former Russian businessman Alexander Temerko and former Newcastle United chairman John Hall.

Mr Wharton did not respond to a request for comment, but has previously said he spends no public money on keeping in touch with the public and distributes information throughout the parliament, not just at election time.