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SNP denies Alexander bias claims SNP denies Alexander bias claims
(about 2 hours later)
The Scottish National Party is denying claims of bias against the Scottish Parliament standards committee after Labour leader Wendy Alexander resigned. SNP leader Alex Salmond has denied that political bias on Holyrood's standards committee led to the downfall of the Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander.
Ms Alexander says the committee acted in "partisan" fashion when it recommended she be suspended in a row about political donations. Ms Alexander said the committee's decision to suspend her from the Scottish Parliament was "partisan".
But the SNP says it was a decision simply based on an independent report. The committee sanctioned her for not properly declaring donations.
Party leader Alex Salmond is expected to respond to Ms Alexander's claims later on Sunday. Mr Salmond said she had been judged by an independent standards commissioner, and on information supplied by someone within her own party.
Labour 'disintegrating'Labour 'disintegrating'
The Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, told the BBC the decision had followed an independent process.
She said: "It's not partisan, it's not party political, it's simply a decision taken based on that independent report.
"But clearly this event does signal the deep disintegration now happening to Labour north and south of the border. The key point is that they are disintegrating from within."
Ms Alexander resigned on Saturday, after MSPs recommended she was given a one-day ban from the Scottish Parliament for breaking donation rules.Ms Alexander resigned on Saturday, after MSPs recommended she was given a one-day ban from the Scottish Parliament for breaking donation rules.
Her departure means the party faces its second successive leadership campaign over the summer parliamentary recess. She failed to declare donations to her leadership campaign last summer on her register of interests.
Ms Alexander said she had acted in "good faith" and on the written advice of clerks to the standards committee.
She claimed the complaints against her were "vexatious" and the decision of MSPs on the committee was partisan.
She said that she thought the parliamentary process had been "cynically abused" by political opponents who had used "investigation as political tactic".
I can't see in any of this a relentless pursuit of Wendy Alexander Alex SalmondSNP leader What the papers sayWho are the Labour contenders?
Mr Salmond told BBC Scotland: "If you look at it at all rationally, the only reason these donations, which were meant to remain secret, came into the public domain, is that somebody - not just in Labour, but it had to be somebody within her leadership team - gave these details to the Sunday Herald newspaper.
"This all came from within the Labour party and I think it is quite difficult to face up to that but it is nonetheless true."
Mr Salmond added that the standards committee decision on the ban, which saw three SNP MSPs and a Lib Dem vote to suspend Ms Alexander, was not partisan.
He said: "The standards commissioner, who is an independent figure whose name is Jim Dyer, came to the conclusion that Wendy Alexander had broken the parliamentary rules.
"It is then the job of the parliamentary committee to accept or reject that recommendation and they accepted that recommendation.
"It is then their job to decide whether there should be any penalty and they decided on a suspension of one day.
"I can't see in any of this a relentless pursuit of Wendy Alexander."
Ms Alexander's departure means the party faces its second successive leadership campaign over the summer parliamentary recess.
Wendy Alexander talks of 'distractions' leading to her resignationWendy Alexander talks of 'distractions' leading to her resignation
Moves to choose a successor to Ms Alexander as Scottish Labour leader will begin this week, the party has said.Moves to choose a successor to Ms Alexander as Scottish Labour leader will begin this week, the party has said.
Cathy Jamieson, the party's deputy leader for the last eight years, will be acting leader during the recess.Cathy Jamieson, the party's deputy leader for the last eight years, will be acting leader during the recess.
Possible contenders for the top post include Ms Jamieson, former health minister Andy Kerr and former communities minister Margaret Curran.Possible contenders for the top post include Ms Jamieson, former health minister Andy Kerr and former communities minister Margaret Curran.
Another potential contender is Iain Gray, who was enterprise minister in the first Holyrood administration.Another potential contender is Iain Gray, who was enterprise minister in the first Holyrood administration.
Minimum threshold
Colin Smyth, Scottish Labour's general secretary, said its procedures committee would meet at the end of the week to agree a selection timetable.Colin Smyth, Scottish Labour's general secretary, said its procedures committee would meet at the end of the week to agree a selection timetable.
Any Labour MSP can stand, but candidates have to have the support of one eighth of the parliamentary Labour party.Any Labour MSP can stand, but candidates have to have the support of one eighth of the parliamentary Labour party.
With 46 Labour MSPs, this means the threshold is six - a contender plus at least five MSP backers.With 46 Labour MSPs, this means the threshold is six - a contender plus at least five MSP backers.
Minimum threshold
If only one nominee comes forward, the party's Scottish executive and Labour MSPs confirm the nominee as the new leader.If only one nominee comes forward, the party's Scottish executive and Labour MSPs confirm the nominee as the new leader.
If there is to be a contested election, all constituency parties, unions and societies, MPs and MEPs can offer "supportive" nominations.If there is to be a contested election, all constituency parties, unions and societies, MPs and MEPs can offer "supportive" nominations.
The candidates who can muster the minimum threshold of support from Labour MSPs go forward to a one-member, one-vote postal ballot.The candidates who can muster the minimum threshold of support from Labour MSPs go forward to a one-member, one-vote postal ballot.
The controversy which led to Ms Alexander's resignation centred on donations to her campaign to replace Jack McConnell as Scottish Labour leader last August.
The Paisley North MSP had said she had been told wrongly by Holyrood officials that it was unnecessary to declare donations.
'Vexatious campaign'
She later updated it with details of 10 donors, who each gave about £1,000 to her campaign.
This was after the Scottish parliamentary standards commissioner, Dr Jim Dyer, decided the donations should be treated as gifts.
The Holyrood standards committee decided on Thursday to recommend that she be suspended from parliament for one day.
Ms Alexander said she was certain MSPs would overturn the decision when they returned after the summer recess.
However, she resigned just two days later "with deep regret" and accused the SNP of waging a "vexatious" campaign against her.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Ms Alexander, saying she would be "greatly missed."
But BBC correspondents say he now faces a leadership contest in Scotland as well as a potentially tight by-election fight in the seat of Glasgow East.
Sitting Labour MP David Marshall is expected to resign this week because of ill health.