Smash hit

Shortly before Ms Alexander arrived, he told reporters: "I will make an announcement about my political future later in the week."

Leading Labour allies of Gordon Brown including Ms Alexander's brother Douglas, the International Development Secretary, have exerted heavy pressure on the Scottish Labour leader not to resign over the controversy, as such a move would increase pressure on Harriet Harman, the party's chairman in Westminster, to do the same over an illegal £5,500 donation by the property multimillionaire David Abrahams.

They are instead believed to prefer a lower-profile figure, such as Mr Gordon, to fall on his sword.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland today, Mr Green launched a broadside against Ms Alexander's team, accusing the hierarchy of incompetence, and added that he wished he had never donated the money.

Q&A: secret donor scandal

Our Political Correspondent analyses the origins of the secret donor sleaze row and its potential implications

• Timeline: Labour's secret donor row

Multimedia

• Video: Brown under fire in Parliament

• Pictures: Labour funding row - key players

BACKGROUND

• A walking paradox who gave £600,000

• Brown is made to play the fool in stage farce

• Jack Dromey declares he is victim of concealment

Related Links

• David Cameron piles on pressure in funding row

• 'No resignation' order to halt donor row damage

• The Zidane moment of madness

"How the Labour party managed to get themselves in this mess is something I find difficult to understand," he said. "I think what you have to say is that this has to be gross mismanagement."

He added that the two donations in April and August - "which, with hindsight, I wish I had never made" - were the only donations he had ever made to the party.

Asked if he would not be making further donations, he replied: "That’s a pretty safe bet", and said that if the cheques were returned to him he would give them to the Children In Need appeal.

He added that the row was all the more ridiculous because of the relatively small amount of money involved. "Just looking at it from afar, who in their right mind is going to try and hide £950? I could possible understand if it was £9,500, or £95,000, or £950,000. But you just can’t believe £950," he said.

"I find this very sad because I have known Charlie Gordon for a number of years and I have found him to be a very honourable and decent man. Charlie must have been misled or didn’t do his homework."

He added that he felt angry with Labour for inadvertently pushing his affairs into the limelight due to the party's incompetence.

"We are a very private family and all of a sudden we are pushed into the limelight here for something that’s completely innocent," he said.

"Fortunately I have been exonerated completely by those that know all the facts and, whilst I can live with this sort of thing, I think it’s most unfair on my family and friends."

Meanwhile, south of the border, the Government was preparing to undergo further questioning today about the £650,000 of secret donations made by Mr Abrahams. The Conservatives have called a debate in the House of Commons, which is scheduled to start at 4pm.

Times Recommends

• Fern Britton: 'I still can't see that I was wrong'
• Extreme cooking
• Easy French: Tarte Tatin