text: A Labour parliamentary candidate says she felt no shame in accepting a £1,000 donation from Tony Blair, despite campaigning heavily against the Iraq War. Rupa Huq, who is standing for Ed Miliband’s party in a key marginal seat in west London, said fellow candidates who had turned down the cash were ‘sticking their noses up’ at Mr Blair. Ms Huq - the sister of former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq - even accused MailOnline of ‘picking on her’ when she was quizzed about the donation at a hustings debate last night. Labour parliamentary candidate Rupa Huq (left) says she felt no shame in accepting a £1,000 donation from Tony Blair, despite campaigning heavily against the Iraq War . Mr Blair made £1,000 donations to 106 local campaigns in target seats across the country in March, only for some Labour candidates to reject the money, with one saying she could not accept the money because of her moral objections to the Iraq War. University lecturer Ms Huq, who is running to be MP for Ealing Central and Acton, actively campaigned against the war, boasting about the fact on a page of pledges on her website - but has not returned the money to Mr Blair. When asked whether she felt any shame for accepting the money from the Prime Minister that led Britain into war, she said she was ‘not in a position’ to be able to return the cash. She said: ‘He gave the donation to all the key seats. What we want to do is defeat the Conservative government, the Conservative government that has closed A&Es. ‘He wrote a cheque for £1,000 to the Labour Party, to 106 key seats in the whole country, and I think three people stuck their noses up. ‘But elections cost money, if he gives money to good causes then why not? ‘Tony Blair won three elections, maybe you’re too young to remember. You know what, elections cost money. And he’s the most successful Labour Prime Minister that we have ever had in our country.’ Rupa Huq (pictured, right, campaigning with Eddie Izzard, left) said fellow candidates who had turned down the cash were ‘sticking their noses up’ at Mr Blair . Former minister Sally Keeble (left) and the Labour candidate in Dundee Lesley Brennan (right) have rejected Mr Blair's donation . As members of the public at the hustings at West Acton Primary School started to heckle Ms Huq, she could be heard saying: ‘That was a question designed to pick on me.’ In March, three Labour parliamentary candidates turned down their £1,000 donations from Mr Blair. Sophy Gardner, who is standing for the party in Gloucester and served in the Iraq campaign as a Wing Commander, declined the money. She said: ’I have taken a personal decision that given my criticism of the Iraq war, in which I served, it would be hypocritical of me to accept it. ‘Therefore, I can confirm I would decline this money.’ She joined Lesley Brennan, standing in Dundee East, and Sally Keeble, in Northampton North, who both turned the money down. Speaking at the debate last night, Ms Huq’s Lib Dem opponent Jon Ball said her decision was ‘completely hypocritical’. Labour candidate Sophy Gardner, who served in Iraq with the RAF, declined the donation as she thought accepting it would be 'hypocritical' Ms Huq is the sister of former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq (pictured), who is married to columnist Charlie Brooker . He said: ‘Rupa has said that Ed Miliband and Tony Blair are completely different. But at the same time she’s accepting money from Tony Blair. ‘It’s completely hypocritical. Some Labour candidates have refused the money. She isn’t one of the the three [who have rejected the donation].’ The incumbent candidate in Ealing Central and Acton is Conservative Angie Bray, who was not at the debate, however polls suggest the seat could swing in the favour of Labour. Ms Huq is the sister of former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, who is married to television presenter and columnist Charlie Brooker. In March, former Downing Street spin doctor Alastair Campbell publicly attacked Labour candidates turning down donations from Mr Blair, calling them 'attention-seeking'. Writing on Twitter he said: 'To attention seeking candidates rejected TB money 1. He won more Labour seats than anyone 2. Tories are loaded 3. Do you want to win?'
target: Labour candidate Rupa Huq accepted £1,000 from Blair earlier this year .
  She campaigned heavily against Iraq War but said: 'Elections cost money'
  Three colleagues turned down cash from former Prime Minister in March .
  Ms Huq - sister of former Blue Peter presenter Konnie - said candidates who turned down Blair's donation were 'sticking their noses up'