The Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) – a charity which helps people with debt problems – has expressed disappointment at the credit card arrangement being peddled by the Labour party to raise funds.

General Secretary of the party Peter Watt has sent out an e-mail urging supporters to take out a credit card issued by the Co-operative Bank which generates £15 commission for the party for every new one signed up. And, says Watt, commissions to the party are also paid on every pound spent, regardless of whether the borrower is able to clear the monthly balance.

The approach is seen by the CCCS, and others, as an irresponsible one by the Labour party who claim to have already received £2 million in commissions from the Co-operative Bank cards.

The censure follows similar criticism of the government for its ill-advised and enthusiastic promotion of gambling, widely seen as irresponsible, putting tax income for the treasury before the welfare of society’s vulnerable, who will commonly use credit cards (the Labour party one?) to run up gambling debts.