This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/7126883.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Alexander defies calls to quit | Alexander defies calls to quit |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander has again refused to resign over the illegal donation which was accepted by her leadership campaign team. | |
| She acknowledged mistakes had been made, but said she would fight on to clear her name. | She acknowledged mistakes had been made, but said she would fight on to clear her name. |
| Ms Alexander's leadership campaign team solicited a payment of £950 from Jersey-based businessman Paul Green. | Ms Alexander's leadership campaign team solicited a payment of £950 from Jersey-based businessman Paul Green. |
| Mr Green said there had been "gross mismanagement" at the top of the Scottish Labour Party. | Mr Green said there had been "gross mismanagement" at the top of the Scottish Labour Party. |
| Ms Alexander claims she had not known that the cash broke electoral law. | Ms Alexander claims she had not known that the cash broke electoral law. |
| It would be easy to quit, but also wrong Wendy AlexanderScottish Labour leader | |
| The donation was illegal because it came from someone not on the electoral register. | The donation was illegal because it came from someone not on the electoral register. |
| In his first interview on the controversy, Mr Green told BBC Scotland that his donation was clearly a personal cheque. | In his first interview on the controversy, Mr Green told BBC Scotland that his donation was clearly a personal cheque. |
| Speaking later at the Scottish Parliament, Ms Alexander said: "I have never sought to mislead. I am not dishonest in any way and I have always believed that politicians should have the highest standards of integrity. | Speaking later at the Scottish Parliament, Ms Alexander said: "I have never sought to mislead. I am not dishonest in any way and I have always believed that politicians should have the highest standards of integrity. |
| "My campaign did not set out to intentionally mislead or brake the rules. Mistakes have been made. | |
| "It would be easy to quit, but also wrong. To give up this job in these circumstances would be also to give up my reputation for integrity and honesty and I am not prepared to do that." | |
| Meanwhile Charlie Gordon, who asked Mr Green for the donation, said he would make a decision on his political future later this week, but declined to be drawn on whether he would resign as a Labour MSP. | |
| Ms Alexander said she would be informing the Electoral Commission watchdog "in full", adding: "For the record, there is repeated correspondence initiated by me personally dealing with the issue of permissibility and demonstrating my interest in ensuring that donations received were indeed permissible." | |
| She said she now wanted to get on with the job of leading Labour at Holyrood and holding the SNP government to account. |