Gordon Brown personally liable for millions of Tony Blair's debt

Gordon Brown and other senior Labour Party officials face having to pay back millions of pounds worth of debt incurred by Tony Blair unless new donors are found in the next few weeks, it has emerged.

Loans totalling £7.45 million are due for repayment or review by July 1, and around £6 million more by the end of this year, according to figures on the Electoral Commission website.

Because of Labour's constitutional arrangements, individual members of the National Executive Committee and senior officials are "jointly and severally" responsible for the party's debt and could be required to meet outstanding debts from their own funds.

It is understood that it was concern that he might be bankrupted by this personal liability that led City financier David Pitt-Watson to turn down the post of party general secretary earlier this year.