Dear All
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCD) has issued new guidelines on the use of Holyrood facilities.
Politicians are not allowed to use the Scottish Parliament's restaurant for party political fundraising.
The announcement comes after the Corporate Body was asked to look into the matter when the SNP had auctioned lunches with Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon with the proposed venue being the restaurant.
The Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson has now written to all MSPs in order to clarify the rules but also stressed that the restaurant use is still eligible for some charity events.
He said;
Holyrood resources, including the restaurant, "must not be used for any significant party political purposes".
And added;
"To put the matter beyond doubt, this includes party political fundraising”.
So, everyone now knows where they stand on this matter.
A spokesman for the two politicians said;
"Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon are very happy to receive the clarification they requested of what is essentially a housekeeping matter for the Corporate Body on the use of the parliamentary restaurant. As far as charity lunches are concerned, this has been left a bit unclear, and we would hope that the Corporate Body takes a positive view on these as soon as possible."
Earlier in the week, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon were informed that a Labour Party complaint against them had been thrown out by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Stuart Allan who said there was;
"no evidence of sufficient substance warranting further investigation".
For Labour MSP Iain Gray and the Labour Party, it is another total humiliation in their constant muck raking against Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
My own view is that given the restaurant is subsidised by the taxpayer, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body came to the correct decision.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCD) has issued new guidelines on the use of Holyrood facilities.
Politicians are not allowed to use the Scottish Parliament's restaurant for party political fundraising.
The announcement comes after the Corporate Body was asked to look into the matter when the SNP had auctioned lunches with Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon with the proposed venue being the restaurant.
The Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson has now written to all MSPs in order to clarify the rules but also stressed that the restaurant use is still eligible for some charity events.
He said;
Holyrood resources, including the restaurant, "must not be used for any significant party political purposes".
And added;
"To put the matter beyond doubt, this includes party political fundraising”.
So, everyone now knows where they stand on this matter.
A spokesman for the two politicians said;
"Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon are very happy to receive the clarification they requested of what is essentially a housekeeping matter for the Corporate Body on the use of the parliamentary restaurant. As far as charity lunches are concerned, this has been left a bit unclear, and we would hope that the Corporate Body takes a positive view on these as soon as possible."
Earlier in the week, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon were informed that a Labour Party complaint against them had been thrown out by the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Stuart Allan who said there was;
"no evidence of sufficient substance warranting further investigation".
For Labour MSP Iain Gray and the Labour Party, it is another total humiliation in their constant muck raking against Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
My own view is that given the restaurant is subsidised by the taxpayer, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body came to the correct decision.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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