Mittal donates #2 mn to Labour Party

The NRI steel tycoon supports UK Govt's plans for education and health.

Non-Resident Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal has donated two million pounds to the Labour Party.

HT Image

The donation is equivalent to the amount given by Lord Sainsbury, the Science Minister.

55-year old Mittal, chairman and chief executive of Mittal Steel Company, the world's largest steel producer, which has operations in 14 countries across four continents said he was making the donation as he supported the government's "long-term investment plans to further improve education, health, employment, skills and technology."

Three years ago he was at the centre of a controversy about Labour's links with business after it emerged that Blair had supported Mittal's bid for Sidex, the Romanian state steel company, two months after the businessman had made a donation of 125,000 pounds to Labour.

Mittal is ranked the 54th richest man in the world by Forbes magazine, with an estimated net worth of 14 billion pounds.