TELEVISION company Tyne Tees last night admitted it had sponsored a Conservative Party reception - but denied it had made a donation to the political party.
The broadcasting company, which is based in Newcastle, was revealed yesterday to have given £1,445 to the party's North-East office in January.
The figure was revealed on the electoral commission's register of political donors.
Last night, spokeswoman Margaret Brown said it had sponsored a reception for North-East MPs and delegates at the Conservative party's annual conference last October in Bournemouth.
She said: "This was sponsorship not a donation. We would never just give one-off donations to any of the political parties.
"We also sponsor the North-East receptions for the Labour party and the Liberal Democrat party at their conferences."
The receptions were an opportunity for senior management to meet members of the political parties, she said.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article