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First Minister John Swinney has expressed confidence that public funds were not misused during the SNP’s general election campaign.
A recent investigation conducted by the Scottish Parliament has found no evidence that SNP Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) misappropriated parliamentary postage. This inquiry was initiated following an anonymous tip-off regarding allegations that stamps purchased through Scottish Parliament resources were improperly distributed to support election campaigns.
As part of the investigation, ten MSPs and their staff members were interviewed. The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) concluded that the MSPs assured investigators that they had not provided stamps to third parties for campaigning and confirmed that no further action would be pursued. However, the SPCB noted that a review of the procedures regarding parliamentary postage will take place in the future.
Chaired by Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone, the SPCB is a bipartisan group of MSPs that oversees such matters. The initial complaint alleged that stamps paid for with parliamentary expenses were handed over to candidates at Westminster to assist in their voter outreach efforts, such as mailing letters.
Furthermore, a WhatsApp conversation among staff members working for SNP MSPs revealed discussions on the traceability of these stamps back to the original purchaser.
The SPCB released a statement indicating: “After a comprehensive investigation, officials found no evidence that stamps were misused. Thus, no further action is required.” They also mentioned that a review of stamp purchasing practices would occur as part of an ongoing evaluation of the members’ expenses scheme to ensure appropriate usage.
MSPs are permitted to allocate up to £5,500 annually for postage and stationery from their parliamentary budget. The regulations set forth by the Scottish Parliament specify that these funds “must be used only for parliamentary duties and must not be employed for party political activities.” Additionally, there are legal constraints governing how much parties and candidates can spend during election periods.
In light of these findings, First Minister Swinney reiterated his belief that no public money had been utilized for SNP’s election efforts.
‘Extremely Disappointing’
The WhatsApp messages scrutinized by the SPCB included a comment from an SNP staff member who referred to a “stamp fairy” as beneficial for local campaigns. When prompted for clarification, the individual asserted that this reference pertained solely to local constituency campaigns rather than broader election initiatives.
The investigation also reached out to election agents within the MSPs’ constituencies to verify if they had received any postage stamps from the Scottish Parliament for campaign use; all denied receiving anything.
Following the investigation’s conclusions, a spokesperson for the SNP group in Holyrood expressed satisfaction with the outcome, labeling the situation as “extremely disappointing.” They criticized the misinterpretation of casual comments as an attempt to undermine individuals and disrupt the campaign.
Source
www.bbc.com