UK NEWS

WENDY'S FUTURE SHAKY AFTER PARLIAMENT BAN

Wendy Alexander

Friday June 27,2008

By Kerry Gill

Wendy Alexander was last night facing a one-day ban from Holyrood for failing to declare donations to her leadership campaign.

The unprecedented expulsion, which still must be ratified by the Scottish Parliament, is a deeply humiliating blow to the Scottish Labour leader.

She had expected to escape with a censure, but now becomes the first British political leader to suffer a ban from parliament.

Although the punishment may be taken as symbolic – and could well be overruled by a majority of MSPs – it will severely undermine Ms Alexander’s insistence that she remain at the helm of her party.

Wendy Alexander and the Labour Party have been irreparably damaged by this protracted scandal. Her credibility is now in tatters, and it is unlikely ever to recover

The SNP’s Roseanna Cunningham

To add to her woes, the Paisley North MSP was struck down with a throat complaint yesterday, her voice reduced to a whisper as she bowed out of First Minister’s Questions.

The recommendation to exclude Ms Alexander for one sitting day was agreed by Holyrood’s Standards Committee, which ruled on Wednesday that she had broken the law.

The committee was split on taking action against her but eventually voted to recommend the ban by four votes to three abstentions.

Parliament is now in summer recess and will have to wait until September to vote on the recommendation.

Labour’s David Whitton – speaking on behalf of Ms Alexander – accused SNP politicians of being out to have her “hung, drawn and quartered”.

Mr Whitton claimed the committee had “flown in the face” of legal advice. Asked if Ms Alexander accepted any wrong-doing, Mr Whitton said: “No she doesn’t – because she sought advice, took advice, followed the advice, what more is she expected to do?”

He said two out of three legal advisers told her there was no problem with the donations.

“Wendy Alexander remains the leader of the Labour group and will still be the leader of the Labour group come September,” he said. “We believe this is a politically motivated complaint by a member of staff of an SNP MSP – no member of the public has complained.”

A spokesman for Ms Alexander added: “This is the first time that the Standards Commissioner has disagreed on a point of law with the Parliament’s lawyers and has profound implications for all MSPs.”

Ms Alexander had earlier told the committee that she had acted in good faith and that clerks had wrongly told her it was unnecessary to declare donations.

The two Labour MSPs on the committee, Cathie Craigie and Marlyn Glen, said no sanctions should be imposed.

They were joined by Tory Jamie McGrigor, who said there were “mitigating circumstances”.

SNP MSPs Dave Thompson, Christina McKelvie and Keith Brown – the committee convener – backed the action, along with Lib Dem Hugh O’Donnell.

The SNP’s Roseanna Cunningham said: “Wendy Alexander and the Labour Party have been irreparably damaged by this protracted scandal. Her credibility is now in tatters, and it is unlikely ever to recover.”