J K Rowling, the Harry Potter author, has made a £1m donation to the Labour Party. The gift was announced by the party as it began its annual conference in Manchester today.

“I would like to thank J K Rowling for making this generous donation and for helping us in our work to make Britain a fairer and stronger country," said Ray Collins, Labour Party General Secretary.

Ms Rowling, whose fortune stands at £560 million in the Sunday Times Rich List, is a personal friend of the Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah.

But the author said in a statement her donation was chiefly influenced by Labour's work on child poverty and Conservative Party plans to ease the tax burden on married couples. Ms Rowling famously wrote her first Harry Potter books while a struggling single mother.

She said: “I believe that poor and vulnerable families will fare much better under the Labour Party than they would under a Cameron-led Conservative Party."

The donation will come as a big fillip to the Labour party and its beleaguered leader Mr Brown at the start of the conferenmce. It's debts are now nearly £18m. But it is understood Ms Rowling has indicated she does not want her donation to be used simply to reduce that sum.

Ms Rowling said in her statement: “Gordon Brown has consistently prioritised and introduced measures that will save as many children as possible from a life lacking in opportunity or choice. The Labour government has reversed the long-term trend in child poverty, and is one of the leading EU countries in combating child poverty.

“David Cameron’s promise of tax perks for the married, on the other hand, is reminiscent of the Conservative government I experienced as a lone parent. It sends the message that the Conservatives still believe a childless, dual-income, but married couple is more deserving of a financial pat on the head than those struggling, as I once was, to keep their families afloat in difficult times.”

Mr Brown said later: “I am delighted that J K Rowling, who is one of the world’s greatest ever authors, has made such a generous donation."

The announcement of the donation was the second boost for the conference after David Miliband, seen by many as Mr Brown's main rival for the Labour leadership, issued a call for party unity.

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