Labour's loans will soon pile up

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So the parties'  financial accounts for 2007 are out, and the headline figures look good for Labour. They ran a surplus of £7.5m and net debt is down to £18.9m from £24.6m at the end of 2006.

Immediate meltdown is then averted, perhaps, due in no small part to donations more than doubling (£5.4m to £11.18m). Included in this is a credit crunch-defying trebling in the popularity of Labour party fundraising dinners, which raised £1.7m last year. What can they be serving?

But danger still lies ahead for the party's finances. Loans from men, some of whom later found themselves at the centre of the cash-for-honours investigation are still hanging around, with £11.1m worth due to be repaid by the end of this year. They are:

* Lord Sainsbury, who is owed £2.41m
* Richard Caring, the owner of The Ivy restaurant, who is owed £2.24m
* Chai Patel, the chief executive of Priory Group, who is owed £1.76m
* Barry Townsley, the chairman of Insinger Townsley, who is owed £1.19m
* Nigel Morris, the co-Founder of CapitalOne, who is owed £1.16m
* Rod Aldridge, the chairman of Capita Group, who is owed £1.16m
* Gordon Crawford, the chairman of London Bridge Software, who is owed £500,000
* Derek Tullett, who is owed £405,000
* Sir Gulam Noon, the curry magnate, who is owed £296,000

And all in five months' time. Possibly.