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| SNP denies Alexander bias claims | SNP denies Alexander bias claims |
| (2 days later) | |
| 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. | 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 said the committee's decision to suspend her from the Scottish Parliament for breaking rules on declaring donations was "partisan". | Ms Alexander said the committee's decision to suspend her from the Scottish Parliament for breaking rules on declaring donations was "partisan". |
| Mr Salmond said she had been judged by an independent standards commissioner. | Mr Salmond said she had been judged by an independent standards commissioner. |
| Labour MSP Cathy Jamieson, who has taken over as interim leader, said she was considering standing as leader. | Labour MSP Cathy Jamieson, who has taken over as interim leader, said she was considering standing as leader. |
| Declare donations | Declare donations |
| Ms Jamieson told BBC Scotland's Politics Show that she was "actively considering" contesting the leadership. | Ms Jamieson told BBC Scotland's Politics Show that she was "actively considering" contesting the leadership. |
| Others tipped as possible candidates include former health minister Andy Kerr, former communities minister Margaret Curran and Iain Gray - a minister in the first Scottish parliament who lost his seat in 2003 but returned to Holyrood in 2007. | Others tipped as possible candidates include former health minister Andy Kerr, former communities minister Margaret Curran and Iain Gray - a minister in the first Scottish parliament who lost his seat in 2003 but returned to Holyrood in 2007. |
| 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. |
| She failed to declare donations to her leadership campaign last summer on her register of interests. | 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. I can't see in any of this a relentless pursuit of Wendy Alexander Alex SalmondSNP leader She claimed the complaints against her were "vexatious" and the decision of MSPs on the committee was partisan. | Ms Alexander said she had acted in "good faith" and on the written advice of clerks to the standards committee. I can't see in any of this a relentless pursuit of Wendy Alexander Alex SalmondSNP leader She claimed the complaints against her were "vexatious" and the decision of MSPs on the committee was partisan. |
| Ms Alexander added that she thought the parliamentary process had been "cynically abused" by political opponents who had used "investigation as political tactic". | Ms Alexander added that she thought the parliamentary process had been "cynically abused" by political opponents who had used "investigation as political tactic". |
| 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. | 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." | "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. | 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. |
| Wendy Alexander talks of 'distractions' leading to her resignation | Wendy Alexander talks of 'distractions' leading to her resignation |
| 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. | 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 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. | "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." | "I can't see in any of this a relentless pursuit of Wendy Alexander." |