Alexander's great escape as MSPs vote against suspension

WENDY Alexander yesterday escaped punishment for breaking parliamentary rules after MSPs overwhelmingly voted against suspending her for a day.

The victory for Ms Alexander by 70 votes to 49 is the first time in the history of the Scottish Parliament a Standards Committee decision has been overturned.

After a formal complaint by an SNP researcher, the Standards Committee found Ms Alexander guilty of breaching parliamentary rules by not declaring the ten donations to her leadership campaign worth £525 or more.

She had been advised by parliamentary clerks and lawyers that she need not declare the donations, but this was found to be wrong by the Standards Commissioner, Dr Jim Dyer.

She had also sought advice after the 30-day limit when she should have declared the ten donations worth more than £525. The committee decided, by a vote of four to three, that she should be punished by being suspended for a day.

It was seen by many as the last straw in a difficult year for Ms Alexander, who resigned as Scottish Labour leader the next day.

During the debate yesterday Keith Brown, the SNP committee convener, pleaded with MSPs to "look at the facts".

But Labour's Jackie Baillie said the facts proved that Ms Alexander was innocent. She said as the committee had accepted that it was unclear Ms Alexander had breached the code of conduct it had decided to punish her for the timing of seeking advice, which she said was irrelevant.

Ken McIntosh, a Labour MSP, pointed out that six other MSPs, including the SNP ministers Linda Fabiani and Bruce Crawford, could also be hauled up for declaring donations late.

Jamie McGrigor, a Conservative committee member, attacked the SNP members for acting in a partisan manner and accused them of filibustering so that a decision could not be made by the full parliament before the recess.

"The 'Sword of Damocles' was, therefore, left hanging above the head of the member for an unnecessary two months," he said.

"It disturbs me that in a country which is allegedly famous for justice and fair play, an event of this kind has been allowed to happen in our parliament."

The Highland SNP MSP Dave Thompson, another committee member, suggested that Mr McGrigor had been "got at".

He questioned why the committee had so many new MSPs only elected in May last year.

Margo McDonald, an Independent MSP, then claimed the committee decision had gone against common law.

After the vote, Ms Alexander said: "As I said at the time of my resignation, my pursuers had sought the prize of political victory with little thought of the standing of parliament and that wiser heads would prevail. The decision was a victory for the law, for natural justice and for common sense."

WHAT NEXT?

AFTER more than a year, the arguments over Wendy Alexander's actions are set to continue.

Alex Fergusson, the Presiding Officer, has accepted that there is ambiguity over the rules on donations and the standing of advice from parliamentary clerks and lawyers.

As a result of a request from Ms Alexander's friend and ally, Jackie Baillie, he has called for a review of the rules.

Meanwhile, questions are being asked over the position of the SNP standards committee convener, Keith Brown, who has refused to resign.