Calls for probe into Scottish Greens after MSPs offered themselves up for lunches in exchange for cash
An investigation is being called for into a cash for access scandal in the Scottish Greens by its own members, former party leader and anti-corruption experts. The Sunday Mail revealed that the party was offering up exclusive access to their government ministers and MSPs in exchange for cash at previous party conferences.
Leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater have insisted the event was a “finger buffet” and there was no wrongdoing despite their own members’ calls for answers. Internal chat messages passed to the Sunday Mail show fury about the fact the party had been offering exclusive chats for £700.
The arrangements at the October 2023 and April 2024 conferences were detailed in sponsorship booklets publicly available on the party’s website. One from October 2023 stated charities or businesses could buy an “exhibitor reception” for £700 which included an “invitation only opportunity to talk to MSPs, councillors and observers.”
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The Spring 2024 conference offered a £700 “sponsored lunch” which gave buyers “an exclusive table to talk to ministers, MSPs and members”. Within hours of the revelations the party had changed the online brochure to remove mention of MSPs, councillors and ministers.
In an internal discussion about the scandal one member said: “Offering exclusive access to MSPs and Ministers stinks and deserves to be called out.”
Another added: “I’m still uncomfortable with what I can see with my own two eyes, which is that we offered for £700 to ‘get an exclusive table to talk to ministers’ at a previous conference. To me that is black and white and is wrong. The specific issue of promising access to ministers in exchange for money...simply crosses a line.”
A third said: “I’m deeply uncomfortable that we would be offering access to any of our elected representatives - let alone ministers - for profit.”
Party leaders appeared to criticise those who spoke to the Sunday Mail about the scandal. Gillian Mackay MSP said: “I hope no matter the issue we can all agree that going to the press rather than resolving internally is not appropriate.”
Party co-leader Patrick Harvie also attempted to shut down discussion and said: “I posted to let members know about the attack, not to open up discussion.” Fellow leader Lorna Slater said: “Attacking the party through anonymous briefings to the press is not only very distressing but is not an effective mechanism for change.”
Head of research at anti-corruption group Transparency International Steve Goodrich said the party’s sponsorship offerings “don’t look good”. He said: “Just because other political parties do similar things doesn’t make it right. It’s the Scottish Greens who have made a point of upholding the highest standards in Scottish politics and perversely it seems to have blown back on them.
“It’s incumbent on all parties to not sell privileged access to their politicians especially when it can be perceived as touting ministerial chit-chats for sale. All parties have a duty to try and raise public confidence in how we do politics and things like this, no matter what the intentions, don’t look good.”
The former Scottish Greens leader Robin Harper said the party should open itself up to an investigation. Harper, who is now a member of the Labour party, said: “If this is within the rules then the rules should be changed. The Green party now is not the party I helped to get on the political tracks 40 years ago. It’s more like the SNP.
“They shouldn’t be charging people for access to our thoughts on political matters. That’s ludicrous. Underlying that is the idea that if someone pays something to the party they get something in return for it.
“It doesn’t smell right and I’m sure what they’ve done is wrong because you shouldn’t be able to offer exclusive chats with government ministers. For the sake of everyone’s peace of mind they should be referring themselves for investigation and if they are in the right then what’s the fuss about?”
Former Green MSP Andy Wightman agreed and said: “ Anyone is free to submit a complaint to the Ethical Standards Commissioner if they feel any MSP has breached the code of conduct. The First Minister should also consider whether there has been a breach of the ministerial code.”
The Scottish Greens said: “Like all political parties, the Scottish Greens offer exhibitor stalls, fringe meetings and sponsorship opportunities as a method to fund our conference which is core to the democratic nature of our party. This was also the case when Mr Wightman and Mr Harper represented the party and attended our conferences, and neither of them raised any objection to it.
"In fact they both attended sponsored events, such as fringe meetings with catering paid for by external organisations, like the ones they are now criticising.”
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