Short: accused

The Conservative Party's former treasurer has not finished with the people he believes have run a smear campaign against him.

In an interview with the Independent, Lord Ashcroft revealed he is to continue pursuing civil servants, MPs and government officials despite settling a recent court case against Whitehall on what are thought to have been favourable terms.

"We believe we know who the leakers are. Once I am able to get sufficient evidence then I will also move against the leakers," he said.

The multi-millionaire peer believes there was a politically motivated campaign against him over his extensive business and political interests in Belize.

Ashcroft, who was appointed party treasurer by then-leader William Hague, was the country's ambassador to the European Union and its representative at the United Nations.

He believes former international development secretary Clare Short was involved in the campaign and revealed details of internal government documents he has obtained under freedom of information laws.

"Clare Short's department denied Commonwealth debt relief to Belize unless the Belize government reneged on my tax concessions in Belize. There were references to her saying, 'Tell the Belize government to stop 'messing about'. It was a total campaign," Lord Ashcroft said.

Warning his detractors not to underestimate him, the billionaire businessman says he will do "whatever it takes" to bring his targets to court.

"We all express things differently. My passion is in my actions. It's not something that I will let wind me up. I remain angry," he said.