Labour donor Christopher Ondaatje has been rewarded with knighthood for his services to charity and art.

The philanthropist gave £2 million to the party before the general election in 2001 but is to be knighted in the Queen's birthday honours for his charity and community work.

Ondaatje also sponsored the renovation of the National Portrait Gallery in London's Trafalgar Square, but questions are likely to be raised over the appearance of impropriety in the government-nominated awards.

His huge political donation eased Labour's financial worries in the run-up to the election campaign.

The cash helped fund the purchase of the party's new Westminster headquarters - a move which has since assisted in turning around Labour's ailing finances.

Ondaatje is not the only party political supporter to feature in this weekend's honours list.

Former Body Shop founder Anita Roddick is to become a DBE, six years after she appeared in a party political broadcast as part of Tony Blair's bid to win power.

Despite her pro-Blair credentials, the businesswoman has since turned against the government and openly supported the Liberal Democrats in 2001.

Roddick campaigned vocally against the war in Iraq, the effects of globalisation on the developing world and ministers' treatment of asylum seekers.