For the first time in ten quarters – 2 and a half years or, to put it another way, since Gordon Brown became leader – Labour raised more money than the Conservatives.

Between July and September this year, Labour raised £5 million and the Conservatives raised £4 million. In contrast, between April and June, the Conservatives were donated £5.6 million and Labour £3.8 million.

Labour’s increase in donations come through the million-pound donation by JK Rowling, the conversion of loans to donations, and the continued bankrolling of the trade unions:

Britain’s biggest union saved Labour from bankruptcy by guaranteeing its finances in a secret deal that the party is refusing to make public.

Unite, which has given £13.4 million to Labour since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, gave formal assurances in June that it would support the debt-ridden party. Labour and Unite have confirmed its existence to The Times but refused to provide details. (The Times)

This looks like good news for Labour, but had it not been for the the £1 million donation from JK Rowling, Labour would have received no more than the Conservatives. And had it not been for the trade unions, Labour would have been donated not far off £1.5 million less than the Conservatives.

When it comes to debt, Labour do appear to be in not as bad shape as previously, having debts of nearly £16 million, compared to the Conservatives debt of just over £12 million – with ten quarters of higher levels of doinations than Labour. Though it really depends what exactly they’re using the money for.

And the Lib Dems I hear you ask? They were given less than £600,000 in the quarter, only slightly more than they got in public funding.

As large as these amounts sound, when it comes down to it, we get our democracy pretty damn cheap.