Labour is today demanding that Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon answer questions over the scandal involving them entertaining guests for dinner in the Scottish Parliament in return for an £11,000 donation to a SNP election candidate.

The story is reported in today's Herald.

The donations were made on Tuesday night at a Glasgow restaurant, where a fundraiser for Osama Saeed was attended by Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. Two of the prizes for the auction included dinner with the Deputy First Minister and a dinner with the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament restaurant.

Guidance issued to all MSPs in December 2009 states that they are forbidden from using the parliamentary campus for party political events, which may only be used in connection with their parliamentary duties.

Former Secretary of State for Scotland Des Browne said:

"These allegations are particularly serious.

"Salmond's parliamentary duties do not extend to using the Scottish Parliament restaurant to raise money for electing candidates.

"This is industrial-scale fundraising using parliamentary facilities and an abuse of public money.

"Cash for access demeans the office of First Minister.

"He must make a public statement about why he allowed himself to be placed in such an unwise position."

 Labour MSP Hugh Henry said:

"These allegations need to be looked at.

"It is highly inappropriate for the First Minister’s time to be sold at public auction, and more galling that the Deputy First Minister was in on the game as well."

04/02/10