Labour urges investigation into SNP lunch auction

Published on Monday 8 February 2010 14:51

HOLYROOD'S sleaze watchdog was today asked to investigate the First Minister and Deputy First Minister as the "cash for access" row continued.

• Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon

Labour wants the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Stuart Allan to look into the matter and establish if the MSP code of conduct was broken.

The move comes after lunches with Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon in the Scottish Parliament restaurant were sold at auction to raise cash for the SNP.

At the weekend it emerged that other lunches were auctioned as fundraisers for the party, with supporters having bid a total of 12,500 to dine with Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon at the Parliament.

Mr Salmond has now cancelled the lunches and said no monies had been received upfront.

He has also called for clarification of guidance issued by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, which states: "The parliamentary campus should only be used for events relating to a member's parliamentary duties."

A Labour spokesman confirmed that a complaint had been delivered to the Standards Commissioner this morning.

The complaint calls on him to investigate whether the MSPs breached the part of the code of conduct which states MSPs should not take part in any event if they are aware "that the organisers are promoting the event on the basis that those paying to attend the event are buying influence over MSPs".

Labour leader Iain Gray has already said it is "disturbing if the First Minister thought he could routinely sell private meetings to raise funds for the SNP".

Mr Gray said: "It shows a complete lack of respect by Alex Salmond for the integrity of the office. This sort of grubby behaviour is totally unacceptable.

"A full investigation of cash for access to the First Minister and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon is now necessary."

However an SNP spokesman criticised "Labour's confusion on the issue".

He said: "The Parliament's Corporate Body has already been asked by Mr Salmond to provide a ruling on the use of the restaurant because they are the body responsible for parliamentary resources.

"In any event, by definition since no lunches have taken place, it is impossible to argue that anything has been misused.

"The lunches were planned for the Parliament restaurant, which is a public space where journalists and all passholders can book a table, so the notion of private access is by definition absurd.

"The issue is the need to get proper rules for the use of the restaurant, including urgent clarification that charity-based events can continue to take place, and that is exactly what Mr Salmond has asked the Parliament's Corporate Body for."