David Abrahams (businessman)

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David Martin Abrahams (born 13 November 1944),[1] is a property developer and political activist.[2]

Early life

Abrahams was born in Newcastle upon Tyne as the only child in a strongly political family.[3] His father Bennie Abrahams was a Labour councillor for the Monkchester ward of Newcastle City Council, and in 1981/2 Lord Mayor of Newcastle.

Political career

He was a councillor for the Labour Party on Tyne and Wear and was deselected as the Labour candidate for Richmond, Yorkshire in the 1992 General Election.[4]

He faced high-profile media accusations in 2007 that he had illegally channelled £630,000 in donations to the Labour Party,[5] by channeling the donations through four different individuals.[6] The Donorgate scandal put pressure on then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.[7] Abrahams was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing.[8]

The BBC spotlighted Abrahams in their 'Political Lives' series, detailing his life's work.[9] In the BBC interview footage he reveals that "I've been active politically all my life, still am and still taking an active interest in Labour - these things don't go away. But it's not the be all and end all, being in the Commons - people have still got the qualities, got the skills, still got the talent and use them in different directions."[9]

Abrahams is a Vice President at the Royal United Services Institute,[10] and a Freeman of the City of London.

Business

Abrahams is currently finalising a £1 billion business park at Durham Green, County Durham.[11]

References

  1. ↑ http://www2.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=188215095&d=bmd_1390257354. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hJc8afOZV0QC&pg=PA8&dq=abrahams,+david+martin&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VIMXU6LuEYabtAbS9IGgDw&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=abrahams%2C%20david%20martin&f=false The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History (2011), p. 8. Company House records
  2. ↑ Bright, Martin (January 14, 2011). "Abrahams in bid to broker peace deal". The Jewish Chronicle.
  3. ↑ Alex Hunt (17 February 2014). "Political Lives: David Abrahams". BBC. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  4. ↑ Guardian profile
  5. ↑ "Abrahams makes proxy donor claim". BBC News. 1 December 2007.
  6. ↑ BBC News Profile of David Abrahams
  7. ↑ Winnett, Robert (29 Nov 2007). "Hunt for 'mystery benefactor' in Gordon Brown's donations scandal". The Telegraph.
  8. ↑ Wintour, Patrick (28 April 2008). "Police clear donor Abrahams". The Guardian.
  9. 1 2 Hunt, Alex (17 February 2014). "Political Lives: David Abrahams". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies Council". RUSI.
  11. ↑ "Labour donor David Abrahams' gift to the north-east". Guardian. 31 January 2010.
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