Sunday, February 03, 2008

Fiscal Rectitude

So - Wendy Alexander has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal by the Scottish Parliament's Standards Commissioner, for not declaring the campaign donations she received in the Scottish Parliament's register of interests.

While there may be some confusion about the initial advice she received from the relevant Parliamentary Authorities, there's still one big question left for me this morning: Why has the Standards Commissioner been able to deal with this so quickly, while the Electoral Commission is still faffing around trying to decide what to do with her case?

The Electoral Commission really isn't doing Wendy, or the rest of us, any favours by sitting on this one. If there's something unpleasant to be done, then better it were done quickly...

3 comments:

Richard Havers said...

Today's story seems like a bit of an hors d'oeuvres, almost anti-climactic. Still it was worth it for Douglas Alexander's performance on Andrew Marr this morning. All that media training hasn't gone to waste. But it did strike me that this is what is partially wrong with politics. Talking the talk, playing the game but somehow losing sight of what's important. And they ask why people are getting fed up with it all.

Richard Thomson said...

I'd agree, Richard. I'm sure you'll be astonished to learn that I'm no fan of Mr Alexander either...

http://www.scotsindependent.org/2006/060526/index.htm

James Higham said...

Spin and arrogance.