"This is a serious allegation and we’re treating it very seriously. Allow me to make two points, if you will, before we turn to the question of Mr Taguri. First of all, the Liberal Democrat party has done absolutely nothing either illegal or improper. We have not received any cheques, we have not accepted any cheques, we have not banked any cheques, and before any of those things would have happened the most rigorous checks would have been carried out as required by law and as we’ve consistently done on every other occasion.