One day after the Scottish Budget passes, with all sorts of new talking points available to discuss, it seems the First Minister's Questions is focussing on lunching with Salmond."celebrity come dining", "piegate", "milk snatcher", "no such thing as a free lunch". It was a veritable foody free-for-fall in the Chamber this lunchtime.
The brou-ha-ha is centred around the news that Alex Salmond has been offering himself up as a lunch partner to raise money for the SNP, amassing £9,000 at the time.
I am in two minds about whether it is such a big deal though. Having the privilege of being elected as leader shouldn't come with the added bonus of hiring yourself out to the highest bidder to make some extra party cash on the side but then at the same time, why not? Having a business lunch with someone is similar to the after-dinner speaking circuit which politicians of all parties indulge in and it would be a pity to deny events the wit and wisdom of the William Hagues and Alex Neils of this world.
I am in two minds about whether it is such a big deal though. Having the privilege of being elected as leader shouldn't come with the added bonus of hiring yourself out to the highest bidder to make some extra party cash on the side but then at the same time, why not? Having a business lunch with someone is similar to the after-dinner speaking circuit which politicians of all parties indulge in and it would be a pity to deny events the wit and wisdom of the William Hagues and Alex Neils of this world.
However, as political complaints go, this one is less michelin star and comes served with chips and peas if you ask me.
23 comments:
I think the main problem with Salmond's lunchdate is that it's going to take place at Holyrood. That is, he's using the facilities of the Parliament to raise money for the SNP.
I think it's fine for the SNP to raise money by auctioning off a meal out with Alex Salmond, but not Alex Salmond in his capacity as First Minister, and certainly not on Parliamentary property.
At least its money raised in Scotland. How much will the unionists spend in Scotland at the GE, raised elsewhere.
At least the lucky winner won't have to worry about Salmond throwing his moby at him or hauling him out of his chair the way he allegedly would with short fuse Brown.
Does this event actually break any rules??
The SNP are trying to win independence for Scotland not play some parlour game.
"Does this event actually break any rules??"
No, it's just another smear by our really useful unionist parties who care so very much about Scotland.
Lara
Off topic:
Does anyone know an email for Douglas Clark, need to urgently contact him about offensive comments at his blog.
Thanks!
Yyou would have to be paid to have lunch with Iain Gray.
Labour fundraising drying up is it?
Off topic, but the local Glasgow comic never fails to astound me. Makes the Daily Record look positively non-partisan.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/6612/labourtimes.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/yd7ufqd
http://tinyurl.com/yat3egw
As Alex Salmond pointed out, this is the day that every other party leader except him had to repay Westminster expenses wrongfully claimed.
Fair dos to Labour in attempting to deflect from that but only an idiot would be deflected.
Sounds worrying Daniel Hoffman-Gill. I don't have contact details but, for the record and just to be safe, I think you're nice as pie.
Thanks for the links G Campbell. Depressing stuff indeed.
Yeah, harldy watergate, is it?
Lunchgate just doesn't have the miles, does it?
Of course, just 2 days after Labour voted against the Budget, the red-top rags have to find something to grouse about, but really, OK so maybe it's ever-so-slighty dubious to be holding the lunch in the parliament building, but it's my understanding the restaurant there is public-access, so nothing the person couldn't do off their own bat in any case.
I'd say taking the person out to their restaurant of choice would have been better; given it's a lunch for Glasgow Central, I'd say Oran Mor would perhaps be the place.
Wish we could get an auction for a dinner with Salmond for our campaign fund….
That said, we havenae actually asked!
Can't see what the fuss is about. It's a fun, and transparent, way of fundraising.
I suppose the only valid criticism would be that the restaurant is subsidised.
So perhaps next time he should take 'em somewhere else, although it all seems to be a bit po faced to me.
It's hardly a big deal, but surely someone in the SNP should have known the rules regarding use of the Parliament to raise money for political parties and realised that it would look bad and could generate bad press for the party?
Hopefully Elmer Fudd will raise the issue of the scandal at Westminster where hundreds of pages of cases of MPs' using parliamentary facilities for their business interests were published today.
Wonder how many of his Labour buddies are on the list.
update
Sheridan ( energy companies)and McFall (RBS etc) invited to numerous shindigs.
http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/Functions%20and%20Events.pdf
Cheers Jeff!
Whatever beef you may have with people Douglas, don't bring it here please.
Asking for someone's email address is perfectly fine but your last comment absolutely is not.
Can I just clear up that wasn't Douglas, it was the same vile, racist obsessive that is stalking me pretending to be him.
The person in question is seriously damaged and will take out his obsession with me wherever he can, apologies for dragging your blog into it.
Peace.
Desperate, sad fake.
Get a life, vulgar degenerate.
Sorry Douglas, it's now been explained that someone's impersonating you.
Will keep an eye out for any more and delete any as soon as I do.
Sorry you guys are in a bit of a pickle on this one...
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