MSP faces vote of no confidence over housing question

Published on Saturday 8 March 2008 18:39

A SENIOR SNP MSP is facing a vote of no confidence after she blocked parliamentary questions about a housing development run by a party donor.

Roseanna Cunningham, who leads the parliament's Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, prevented a fellow MSP from asking about the plans in a stormy committee session.

The development by Aviemore Highland Resort has been steeped in controversy after it emerged ministers had intervened to speed up the planning process last year after accepting a 30,000 donation from the hotel's owner Donald Macdonald.

At the meeting last week, Cunningham prevented Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles from asking about the development, insisting that the subject was not in order. Sources say that Rumbles now has the support to force a vote of no confidence in Cunningham, which could result in her removal from the committee.

Cunningham said last night: "This is a matter for (Rumbles]."