Salmond at centre of row over lunch sold at auction
Opposition MSPs launch scathing attack on first minister’s ‘grubby behaviour’
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First Minister Alex Salmond has been accused of selling access to his office to raise funds for the SNP.
It emerged last night that a meal for four with Mr Salmond at Holyrood was auctioned for £9,000 at a party fundraising event on Tuesday.
A similar lunch with Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon was sold for £2,000.
Scottish Parliament policy says Holyrood resources must not be used for “any significant party political purposes”.
The SNP insisted that parties have used lunches with politicians as a way of fundraising for “many years” and are “not contrary to any current parliamentary rules”.
In 2007 Tory leader David Cameron was rebuked by the parliamentary standards watchdog for using his tax-payer-funded Commons office to raise money.
The Commons committee on standards and privileges said at the time that Mr Cameron had been “ill advised” to offer meetings at his office for members of a Conservative fundraising club.
Prospective members of the Leader’s Group were promised lunch in Mr Cameron’s parliamentary office after prime minister’s questions in return for a £50,000 subscription fee.
Liberal Democrat chief whip Mike Rumbles said: “Scottish ministers should not be available to the highest bidder.
“I’d have thought that Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon would have learned from David Cameron’s cash for access scandal.”
serious
Labour leader Ian Gray said: “These are very serious allegations accusing Alex Salmond of selling the office of first minister for SNP funds. The implication of cash for access to the first minister and his deputy has to be answered.
“Was it wrong of the first minister to auction lunch with himself in Holyrood to raise £9,000 for the SNP? Such grubby behaviour demeans the office.”
The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body has launched an investigation.
A spokesman said the policy on the use of parliamentary resources states that they are provided to support members with their duties.
He added: “These resources, which include the members’ restaurant, must not be used for any other purpose, including any significant party political purposes.”
The regulations state that parliamentary resources, such as office equipment e-mails, IT equipment, meeting rooms and other resources were for the use of MSPs and not to be used for any other purpose.
The SNP said that could exclude charity activities, and raised the question whether donors were entitled, like anyone else, to be entertained or taken around the parliament.
Last night Mr Salmond, as MSP for Gordon, wrote to Holyrood chief executive Paul Grice seeking clarification of the rules.
Referring to the regulations, Mr Salmond said: “My view would be that this does not include the dining facilities that are paid for as opposed to parliament resources which are provided.”
Readers' Comments
the greater majority of MSPs and MPs are corrupt anyway so what difference does it make they will do what they want with total disregard to anyone else - its time for a change of governement in Scotland away from these who would ruin the country
Thomas Owenson
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Why does it seem that everything that Salmond errs on these days include establishments that you dine at - first the Shinnig Pearl saga in Peterhead and now the cash for lunch. It is often said about politicians about there snouts being in the trough and his seems to be all the time. I agree with Mr Owenson - lets see the back of this lot - in fact I would say why do we in Scotland need community councils, area councillors, MSP's and MP's - how much is this costing each person in Scotland? My solution get rid of the MSP's!
Doug Donaldson
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Using Alex Salmond's eating habits as a pretext for getting rid of all MSPs is a bit harsh, even for those (mainly Tory)unionists who didn't want the Scottish Parliament to come into existence in the firsrt place. Whoever wins on May 6th will have no bearing on the economic or social wellbeing of Scotland. I also suspect that Alex Salmond will be looking forward to the Scottish elections next year given the weakness of the Opposition at Holyrood.
Stuart West
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The first thing we need to establish before we start trying to score party political points is have Salmond & Sturgeon broken any rules. If this is the case then parliament will rightly deal with any breach of the rules. As with the Megrahi report the views of the members on the committee were well known months ago so the outcome was based on party politics and not on whether it was right or wrong for Scotland.
raymond thomson
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I attended a charity auction which was rasing fund for a wothwhile cause. One of the lots, was a tour of the Scottish parliment and lunch with the First Minister,who also happens to be the local MSP. Now perhaps it's a little cheeky, to raise funds for your own party in this way, but a blanket ban could deprive some charities of a source of much needed income.
Ian Prise
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