MSP and Thatcher in corruption inquiry

THE Tory MSP Brian Monteith and former party leader Baroness Thatcher are to be questioned by police as part of a corruption investigation in the United States, according to a leaked official document.

The Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP and the former prime minister will be interviewed by detectives after US authorities requested details about separate meetings they had five years ago with the Republican Congressman Tom DeLay.

It forms part of an inquiry by the US Justice Department into allegations that congressmen received free foreign holidays in return for seeking to influence legislation. The probe is centred on the activities of US lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Earlier this year, The Scotsman revealed Mr DeLay, on a visit to Britain in summer 2000, had dinner in St Andrews with a number of Tories, including Mr Monteith. He met Lady Thatcher in London.

The leaked Whitehall document, published yesterday, says the US has requested assistance by British police via the Home Office as part of a deception inquiry "involving high-profile American and UK-based individuals, including a leading congressman and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher".

A spokesman for Lady Thatcher confirmed that police had contacted her office in order to "clarify" details of her meeting with Mr DeLay during the visit, which was paid for by Mr Abramoff.

"Those details were clarified. That was the substance of it. It was merely factual. There was no indication at all that there was anything at all other than that," the spokesman said.

Mr Monteith, 43, who has known Mr Abramoff since visiting the US as chairman of the Scottish Federation of Conservative Students, said he had not yet been contacted by police about the St Andrews dinner.