Lunch auction 'a clear breach of rules' says ex-watchdog

Published on Friday 5 February 2010 22:06

PRESSURE mounted on First Minister Alex Salmond and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon last night when their plans to auction lunches were criticised by the former head of a sleaze watchdog.

Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, said there appeared to have been a "clear breach of the rules" in the "cash for access" row engulfing the two senior politicians.

His remarks came as it emerged the Conservatives are to raise the matter at the next meeting of Holyrood's standards committee.

The Scotsman understands Nanette Milne, a Tory member of the committee, will seek clarification over whether Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon broke the rules.

Sir Alistair said he thought the controversial fundraiser was "inappropriate".

When asked whether he thought political parties ought to auction a lunch at Holyrood for party funds, he replied: "No I don't. I think that's quite inappropriate, particularly if those facilities, and I've been told that they are, are subsidised out of public funds."

He added: "It's very important for public officials to keep their public duties quite separate from their party political fundraising activities."

Officials at the Scottish Parliament are to investigate the controversial fundraising venture after opposition politicians accused Mr Salmond of selling the office of First Minister for funds.

Lunch for four people with Mr Salmond in the subsidised MSPs' restaurant was auctioned for about 9,000 at the Scots-Asians for Independence dinner in Ms Sturgeon's Glasgow Govan constituency.

At the dinner, earlier this week, a similar lunch for four people with Ms Sturgeon was auctioned for about 2,000.

The successful bidders for the lunch are thought to be two businessmen who were at the event, which was attended by 200 people from Glasgow's Asian community.

Mr Salmond has protested his innocence and repeatedly pointed out that the auctioned lunches have yet to take place.

The First Minister has written to the Scottish Parliament's chief executive Paul Grice to seek advice on the matter.

Holyrood rules state that parliamentary resources must be used only for parliamentary duties. They also say that, if there is doubt about whether an activity is parliamentary or party political, then advice must be sought from the authorities.

In his letter, Mr Salmond said he took the view that Holyrood's smart restaurant was not included in the definition of parliamentary resources.

If that was the case, he said, there would be no bar against auctioning the lunch.