Blair 'delighted' at Mittal's £2 mn gift

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has thanked NRI steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal for his contribution of £2 million to the ruling Labour Party and said he was "delighted" to receive such a sizeable donation from one of the "world's most successful businessmen". Mittal, President and Chief Executive of world's largest steel company Arcelor-Mittal, on Tuesday announced the donation to Labour Party, commending PM Blair's record since he came to power in 1997. "I am delighted that Mittal, who is one of the world's most successful businessmen, has made such a generous donation. I thank him for his continued support for the Labour party," Blair said. Mittal, the world's fifth richest men, is a major supporter of the party and donated a similar amount in 2005. "I am a long-term supporter of the Labour party and the work it has done in the United Kingdom to improve the overall prosperity and prospects of the country since coming to office in 1997," Mittal, said, in a statement. A previous gift of £125,000 in the 2001 general elections prompted a political row when it emerged that Blair later wrote in support of his company, LNM, when it was trying to land a lucrative contract in Romania. The latest donation comes as the Labour party struggles to avoid a financial disaster in the wake of allegations being investigated by police that several wealthy businessmen who lent Labour money for the last general elections were rewarded by being nominated for peerages.