Labour donor Lord Sainsbury

A £2.5 million donation from Lord Sainsbury has boosted Labour's income levels to more than twice those of the Conservatives, according to the latest figures.

March's gift from the science minister accounted for almost half of Labour's £5,412,867 earnings during the first three months of 2003.

The Tories earned a total of £2,005,805 and the Liberal Democrats nearly 10 times less, according to data released by the Electoral Commission.

The total of all recorded donations to parties between January and March was £8,023,741, up from £6,690,256 in the same period last year.

With Labour struggling to service the overdraft accrued from the purchase of its new London headquarters, fundraising efforts appear to have been frenetic in the first three months of the year.

Despite rifts over key policies, three large trade unions - Amicus, the GMB and Unison - gave almost a quarter of a million pounds each to the party, as did self-made venture capitalist and philanthropist Sir Ronald Cohen.

Other high level donations came from City trader Derek Tullet and advertiser Sir Frank Lowe, to the tune of £100,000 and £75,000 respectively.

Tullet made almost £20 million in January when he sold the broking firm he had set up more than 30 years ago.

Sunderland Football Club chairman Bob Murray, awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours list, also gave Labour £100,000. He will hope for better results for Labour than from his newly relegated soccer team.

A significant deposit was also made by East Midlands Airport, which gave a five figure sum at a time when the future of regional airports is under discussion within government.

Backbench MP Barbara Follet and junior health minister David Lammy both dipped into their own pockets to help out their constituency parties with gifts of more than £1000.

The Conservatives had a less lucrative period but could still call upon big donations of £105,000 from conference company IIR, £53,250 from company chairman George M Magan and £50,000 from philanthropist Sir Tom Cowie.

Liberal Democrat coffers relied on their regular payment of £125,000 from the Joseph Rowntree Trust.

As many as 70 registered political parties failed to submit returns on time.

Almost all are small parties that are not expected to have donations to declare, but are required by legislation to put in "nil" returns.

Electoral Commission chairman Sam Younger said that this obligation has now been placed under review

"This requirement places a considerable burden on small parties, which many regard as unreasonable given the unlikelihood of them receiving donations that have to be declared to the commission," he said.

"However, while the requirements remain we shall continue to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure reports are submitted on time by all parties."