A £2m loan he gave to the Conservative Party ahead of last year's general election has become subject to scrutiny as the argument over political loans and peerages rumbles on. Edmiston had been put forward by the Tories for a peerage but last month had his nomination blocked along with several other political donors. In a bid to resolve any confusion over his financial backing following his failed peerage nomination, last week he converted his £2m loan into a permanent donation, which will now be declared by the Conservatives.