Salmond: Ban English cash from Scottish polls FIRST MINISTER Alex Salmond has called for a ban on money raised outside Scotland from being used in Holyrood elections. The SNP leader wants all political parties to sign a voluntary code which would end the practice of cash being transferred from their London headquarters.
WENDYGATE
| The donors | | Who gave to Wendy's campaign ... and the members of the team who brought in the cash |
|
|
He also believes the restriction should apply to leadership campaigns run by Holyrood politicians.
The call comes as Wendy Alexander is put under pressure to resign after accepting illegal money to fund her Labour leadership campaign.
Salmond believes this is an opportunity to clean up politics. He wants all Scottish political parties to sign up to a scheme whereby cash spent on Holyrood elections is raised exclusively in Scotland.
Currently, the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Tories all receive "transfers" from the London headquarters of their UK parties for Holyrood and Westminster elections.
The first minister believes the practice should be allowed to continue for Westminster campaigns, but not for Holyrood.
"Scottish elections at Holyrood should be financed by permissible donors in Scotland," he said.
A source close to Salmond also said there was a case for applying the new rule to leadership campaigns undertaken by Holyrood politicians. Alexander is currently fighting for her job after taking cash from a Jersey-based tax exile.
The SNP believe the issue could be discussed at a cross-party summit, while Salmond may also raise the matter with Scotland secretary Des Browne.
Electoral Commission figures show how Scottish Labour, in particular, is reliant on funding from England-based organisations. The largest chunk of the party's Holyrood election war chest came from Muslim Friends Of Labour, an organisation whose address is in London. Most of Scottish Labour's union funds also come from down south.
However, the SNP's proposal is unlikely to win much support from the opposition parties at Holyrood, as they will see it as a Nationalist attempt to close down a regular route of funding.
|
|
Posted by: Jimbo on 12:55am Sun 2 Dec 07
Didn't the Labour Party bring in the 'no foreign donations' law in Scotland purely to debar Sean Connery from giving to the SNP?
Didn't the Labour Party bring in the 'no foreign donations' law in Scotland purely to debar Sean Connery from giving to the SNP?
Posted by: willie on 1:11am Sun 2 Dec 07
Yes - good idea Mr Salmond. Change the law and debar London donations to Scottish elections.
Suspect however that Labour would just ignore the law -they usually do, as events sadly show.
Yes - good idea Mr Salmond. Change the law and debar London donations to Scottish elections.
Suspect however that Labour would just ignore the law -they usually do, as events sadly show.
Posted by: doonhamer on 1:12am Sun 2 Dec 07
In order to start to clean up this donation mess, legislation must be passed immediately to limit donations to individuals and bodies located in the jurisdictions that are holding the election.
Local donors must be registered in the local area.
Holyrood dononrs must be registerd in Scotland
UK donors must be registered in the UK
This would a true level of accountability and transparecny to the campaigns.
I am tired of money raised outside the electoral districts being used to influence the voting in the electoral districts.
What is wrong with leading the way to honesty?
In order to start to clean up this donation mess, legislation must be passed immediately to limit donations to individuals and bodies located in the jurisdictions that are holding the election.
Local donors must be registered in the local area.
Holyrood dononrs must be registerd in Scotland
UK donors must be registered in the UK
This would a true level of accountability and transparecny to the campaigns.
I am tired of money raised outside the electoral districts being used to influence the voting in the electoral districts.
What is wrong with leading the way to honesty?
Posted by: Jimbo on 1:19am Sun 2 Dec 07
Good point doonhamer. Why should the money of an Edinburgh or Glasgow businessman be used to influence the outcome of a local election in Aberdeen or Dumfries?
Good point doonhamer. Why should the money of an Edinburgh or Glasgow businessman be used to influence the outcome of a local election in Aberdeen or Dumfries?
Posted by: donald, glasgow on 6:44am Sun 2 Dec 07
During th Hamilton by election, not only was cash brought up from Ingurland, it was a Northern England Labour Party office that had to act as their call centre and activists were bussed up from England to help. Their cold calls had merr English accents than Aberdeen Cooncil.
Council workers were used to put up their posters, using Cherry pickers. Was this declared in their election expenses? Other parties, as usual, had difficulty hiring premises for the by election. Labour came up with an empty shop in the town centre, that no other party could rent. The furniture loaned for the election came from the Cooncil as well. Nothing new n tis, just another example of Labour featherbedding and running out of activists, whilst the camel haired coats and red ties stood around the campaign office sooking large Cuban cigars, reminiscing of their yoof days when they had Che t-shurts and long hair like the yooffull Broon leader and chanted "Che Guevara" on anti Tory demos, before shifting to the right of the Tories in when taking office.
During th Hamilton by election, not only was cash brought up from Ingurland, it was a Northern England Labour Party office that had to act as their call centre and activists were bussed up from England to help. Their cold calls had merr English accents than Aberdeen Cooncil.
Council workers were used to put up their posters, using Cherry pickers. Was this declared in their election expenses? Other parties, as usual, had difficulty hiring premises for the by election. Labour came up with an empty shop in the town centre, that no other party could rent. The furniture loaned for the election came from the Cooncil as well. Nothing new n tis, just another example of Labour featherbedding and running out of activists, whilst the camel haired coats and red ties stood around the campaign office sooking large Cuban cigars, reminiscing of their yoof days when they had Che t-shurts and long hair like the yooffull Broon leader and chanted "Che Guevara" on anti Tory demos, before shifting to the right of the Tories in when taking office.
Posted by: foxy, Brigadoon on 9:00am Sun 2 Dec 07
A lot of Scottish businessmen/celebrit
ies have partly 'made' their fortunes in England, will the donations from them to the SNP also be banned?
A lot of Scottish businessmen/celebrit
ies have partly 'made' their fortunes in England, will the donations from them to the SNP also be banned?
Posted by: My Middle Name is (ex) Pat, Donostia, Euskal Herria on 9:19am Sun 2 Dec 07
I agree in principle, but it won't be easy. Isn't it possible that "Muslim Friends of Labour" are collecting a large percentage of their money from Scottish metropolitan businessmen? It was set up by the (honourable?) Mr Mohammad Sarwar, after all.
It won't be fair until campaign donations are banned. Party broadcasts will be filmed by the BBC at the tax-payer's expense and posters printed by the government and stuck up (and, crucially, taken down!) by council workers at the tax-payers expense. The only donations allowed will be time. Campaigns will be run by volunteers. Try buying political influence with a few hours, mate!
I agree in principle, but it won't be easy. Isn't it possible that "Muslim Friends of Labour" are collecting a large percentage of their money from Scottish metropolitan businessmen? It was set up by the (honourable?) Mr Mohammad Sarwar, after all.
It won't be fair until campaign donations are banned. Party broadcasts will be filmed by the BBC at the tax-payer's expense and posters printed by the government and stuck up (and, crucially, taken down!) by council workers at the tax-payers expense. The only donations allowed will be time. Campaigns will be run by volunteers. Try buying political influence with a few hours, mate!
Posted by: Phil, Edinburgh on 10:26am Sun 2 Dec 07
No I think the best thing is that the tax payer should pick up the bill afterall we pay for the 'SNP dinners' oops I mean 'First Minister invite a friend dinners' being hosted by the First Minister regularly in Edinburgh why not pay for his election campaigning too?
No I think the best thing is that the tax payer should pick up the bill afterall we pay for the 'SNP dinners' oops I mean 'First Minister invite a friend dinners' being hosted by the First Minister regularly in Edinburgh why not pay for his election campaigning too?
Posted by: canofworms, Glasgow on 11:40am Sun 2 Dec 07
Phil, after all you must have read over the last few days, that really is pathetic!
On the subject of funding I would ban all "donations" to individual parties. I would give them £100,000 per year per party from the public purse and maybe three broadcasts per year.
I would also suggest that the best way for them to sway voters is to go out and meet them, talk to them and convince them. (Imagine not being able to rely on fancy brochures, written by someone else, to get elected! They would actually have to use their OWN skills in their OWN constituencies to win people over! Imagine the seizures among some of the Labour lot!) I believe they would then have no choice but to get off their backsides and earn the vast sums they are paid per annum. It also might make a few actually participate in Parliament instead of behaving worse than a football crowd.
Phil, after all you must have read over the last few days, that really is pathetic!
On the subject of funding I would ban all "donations" to individual parties. I would give them £100,000 per year per party from the public purse and maybe three broadcasts per year.
I would also suggest that the best way for them to sway voters is to go out and meet them, talk to them and convince them. (Imagine not being able to rely on fancy brochures, written by someone else, to get elected! They would actually have to use their OWN skills in their OWN constituencies to win people over! Imagine the seizures among some of the Labour lot!) I believe they would then have no choice but to get off their backsides and earn the vast sums they are paid per annum. It also might make a few actually participate in Parliament instead of behaving worse than a football crowd.
Posted by: daviboy on 11:49am Sun 2 Dec 07
The public purse should not be used to fund political partys. If you cannot persuade the public to vote for you then that is your problem.
If the state did bankroll political partys all you would get is a situation where politicians would promise the electorate the earth in order to increase their vote, which in turn would increase their grant/allowance.
The down side of this is that once these guys get into power they renege on all the promises that they made before an election. Do you honestly think that the SNP would get the same number of votes if they did not promise to put 1000 new police officers on the state, eradicate student debt etc. etc.
The public purse should not be used to fund political partys. If you cannot persuade the public to vote for you then that is your problem.
If the state did bankroll political partys all you would get is a situation where politicians would promise the electorate the earth in order to increase their vote, which in turn would increase their grant/allowance.
The down side of this is that once these guys get into power they renege on all the promises that they made before an election. Do you honestly think that the SNP would get the same number of votes if they did not promise to put 1000 new police officers on the state, eradicate student debt etc. etc.
Posted by: Observer on 1:38pm Sun 2 Dec 07
Look at what is happening. We have the Labour friends of Israel, the Muslim Friends of Labour, big businessmen, Trade unions, god knows how many other lobby and pressure groups using donations to try and influence poiticians. We even have ppl trying to back both horses in a two horse race and one horse in a one horse race ! Is it only me who sees parallels with the US style of politics ? Even if these donors don't get anything for their money, and I think you would need to be very naive to think that, there is a public perception that they do. Is that not why their is so much apathy about politics ? That is a real threat to democracy. As far as I see, the tax payer foots the bill one way or t'other anyway. So they might as well be funded directly, be properly regulated, and jailed if they break the law.
Look at what is happening. We have the Labour friends of Israel, the Muslim Friends of Labour, big businessmen, Trade unions, god knows how many other lobby and pressure groups using donations to try and influence poiticians. We even have ppl trying to back both horses in a two horse race and one horse in a one horse race ! Is it only me who sees parallels with the US style of politics ? Even if these donors don't get anything for their money, and I think you would need to be very naive to think that, there is a public perception that they do. Is that not why their is so much apathy about politics ? That is a real threat to democracy. As far as I see, the tax payer foots the bill one way or t'other anyway. So they might as well be funded directly, be properly regulated, and jailed if they break the law.
Posted by: paul h, fife on 1:40pm Sun 2 Dec 07
Don't you just love these labour scallies trying to attack the snp.
They're taking a leaf from their politicians who when accussed of mistakes or wrong doing always go on the attack and hope that their shrillness will make people switch off or turn the page.
[bold]I support the principle of Scottish only funding for Holyrood elections. It makes sense. Especially now. The unionist parties like to say that they are 'Scottish' parties- independent of London. They talk the talk now people want to see them walk the walk.[/bold]
Don't you just love these labour scallies trying to attack the snp.
They're taking a leaf from their politicians who when accussed of mistakes or wrong doing always go on the attack and hope that their shrillness will make people switch off or turn the page.
I support the principle of Scottish only funding for Holyrood elections. It makes sense. Especially now. The unionist parties like to say that they are 'Scottish' parties- independent of London. They talk the talk now people want to see them walk the walk. Posted by: Kirsty, speaking from a green microphone on 4:02pm Sun 2 Dec 07
Is this Salmond as his old self or .....?
I don't know him that well if at all, as others know Wendy so thoroughly well. Even the colour of her eyes.
Is this Salmond as his old self or .....?
I don't know him that well if at all, as others know Wendy so thoroughly well. Even the colour of her eyes.
Posted by: Sanny, Portugal on 5:35pm Sun 2 Dec 07
Let's ban all English and other foreign influence on the Scottish Parliament by becoming INDEPENDENT.
Let's ban all English and other foreign influence on the Scottish Parliament by becoming INDEPENDENT.
Posted by: Braveheart, Glasgow on 9:43pm Sun 2 Dec 07
Pass a bill that puts a ceiling on donations. Fair to all concerned. There is too much money spent on elections which could be best used elsewhere.
Pass a bill that puts a ceiling on donations. Fair to all concerned. There is too much money spent on elections which could be best used elsewhere.
Posted by: Wullie on 10:48am Sun 9 Dec 07
[italic][bold]They have learnt that the Scots, who already enjoy free personal care, are now to benefit from free university tuition and free prescriptions too - all paid for by English taxes. Yet Scotland's nationalist First Minister, Alex Salmond, has the temerity to complain he is getting too little money from Westminster[/bold][/italic] .
Today's John Bull headline from the Sunday Telegraph, which incidentally is launching a campaign to support Britishness?
Yes Mr Salmond your quite right to tell them to keep their donations south and the sooner we get to raise and disburse our own taxes the better we will all be.
Feel British do we ?
They have learnt that the Scots, who already enjoy free personal care, are now to benefit from free university tuition and free prescriptions too - all paid for by English taxes. Yet Scotland's nationalist First Minister, Alex Salmond, has the temerity to complain he is getting too little money from Westminster .
Today's John Bull headline from the Sunday Telegraph, which incidentally is launching a campaign to support Britishness?
Yes Mr Salmond your quite right to tell them to keep their donations south and the sooner we get to raise and disburse our own taxes the better we will all be.
Feel British do we ?
Comment | Read Comments (16)
Print this story
Email to a friend
