A HOLYROOD committee investigating Wendy Alexander's conduct has formally complained about the behaviour of the Labour leader's spokesman in the run-up to the inquiry.

The parliament's Standards Committee has written to Alexander's office about press aide Simon Pia publicly discussing the investigation into her financial affairs - a practice that is strictly forbidden.

One committee source said: "Pia's comments were disgraceful."

The row comes as the Alexander donations scandal enters its eighth month.

The Paisley North MSP amassed £16,000 in "below the radar" donations for her successful campaign to succeed Jack McConnell last year as Labour's Holyrood leader.

However, Alexander was found to have broken the law after she received an illegal £950 contribution from Jersey businessman Paul Green.

A second investigation, this time from Holyrood Standards Commissioner Dr Jim Dyer, found she had breached the MSP code of conduct by failing to disclose the donations on her register of interest.

The contents of his report, which the Sunday Herald revealed last week, are now a matter for the Standards Committee, which is currently deciding whether to recommend a sanction for Alexander.

The committee is furious, however, about a press release sent out seven days ago by Pia which reacted to news of the Dyer report being leaked.

MSPs are forbidden from talking about live investigations, a rule Alexander's spokesman ignored when he issued a statement on behalf of his boss.

The release commented on various aspects of the inquiry, including actions taken by Dyer during his investigation, as well as the advice sought by Alexander that led her not to declare the donations.

It stated: "What is clear is Dr Dyer received three different legal views. Any notion that action will be taken against Ms Alexander would be a slap in the face to the parliament's lawyers."

Committee members were angry about the statement and a letter of complaint was sent to Alexander's office late last week.

One committee source said: "Pia's comments were disgraceful. All he has done is make it much worse for Wendy Alexander."

The source said that the press release may have been an attempt to "influence" the committee as it considers Dyer's report.

Sanctions available to the committee include suspending Alexander from the parliament, or censuring her.

A spokesman for Scottish Labour declined to comment on the Pia row.

Meanwhile, Alexander has repeated her support for a referendum on Scottish independence.

The MSP's call earlier this year for a plebiscite led to a damaging rift with prime minister Gordon Brown, and prompted her to row back on the policy.

However, she used an appearance on BBC's Any Questions in Kilwinning on Friday to reiterate her support for a referendum.

She said: "I don't think it is in Scotland's interest to have this continuing uncertainty. We are going to have a referendum, get on, let the people of Scotland speak because ultimately, whether you remain part of a sovereign state or not, it is a decision for the people, not the politicians, and we shouldn't be leaving it until the very last few months of this parliament."

She added: "I think we should get on with it in Scotland, we have a first minister who claims he has a majority for independence but simply won't get round to putting the issue to the people. That causes uncertainty, I think that is damaging."

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Robert Brown said: "My advice to Wendy Alexander is that when you are in a hole, stop digging. This initiative has been a disaster from the start for the Scottish Labour Party and boosted the SNP.

"Without Labour, there is not a majority in the Scottish parliament for a referendum and it is clear that the public has no desire for independence, which makes Wendy Alexander's position even more ridiculous."