MSP paid back cash claimed for wreaths

Jun 17 2009 by Robert Mitchell, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

COATBRIDGE MSP John Wilson has handed back money he claimed on expenses for Remembrance Day wreaths – even though he is adamant he did nothing wrong.

It emerged last week that the politician submitted a claim of £35.60 last November for two ceremonies he attended in his capacity as a Central Scotland MSP.

Mr Wilson recently stepped down as councillor for Coatbridge North and Glenboig following his election to Holyrood.

First Minister Alex Salmond ordered his SNP colleague to pay the money back and it has raised questions over whether public anger over politicians’ allowances is spilling over into legitimate claims.

Mr Wilson said: “I don’t accept I’ve done anything wrong. It was a symbolic gesture on my part as a list MSP to lay a wreath and I thought I was well within my right to do that and claim it as an allowance, but I won’t be doing it in the future.

“I think that it is unfortunate that this issue has been raised in the way it has. It has detracted from the Cenotaph events that are held on an annual basis in remembrance of those who fell in the First and Second World Wars and subsequent conflicts.”

Mr Wilson was one of 15 MSPs who hit the headlines for claiming Remembrance Day wreaths back on expenses, and the episode has highlighted some interesting facts.

Westminster MPs are banned from claiming wreaths on expenses but it is within the rules for Holyrood MSPs to do so. In North Lanarkshire, the local authority provide MPs and constituency MSPs with wreaths for Remembrance Day services but do not provide them for regional MSPs.

Mr Wilson added: “They were claimed for in my capacity as an MSP attending the Remembrance Day memorial events in Coatbridge. It was the main event in Coatbridge at the Cenotaph, and another in Glenboig village. The money was paid back to the Scottish Parliament following the issues raised by the media.

“The claims were allowed by the Scottish Parliament but, given the outcry, that has been generated by the media, I won’t be claiming for this in the future.

“And there clearly seems to be a contradiction within some of the media sources with both the Daily Record and the Daily Mail calling it an outcry and The Scotsman opinion piece indicating they felt it was a legitimate claim by MSPs who are representatives of the people who are elected to Parliament.

“I would have still paid it back even if the whip hadn’t ordered me to, given the public outcry on the issue. I’d already made a decision on the issue before the whip’s instruction to pay it back. The whip’s instruction was to pay the equivalent amount to Poppy Scotland or to a similar association or organisation. Given the money came from Parliament I felt it was appropriate to pay it back to Parliament.”

North Lanarkshire Council provide – courtesy of the taxpayer – the wreaths MPs and constituency MSPs in Lanarkshire lay at Remembrance Day services across the county.

John Fleming, head of central services at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The council organise two Remembrance Sunday memorial services in Airdrie or Coatbridge and in Motherwell and provide wreaths for the Lord Lieutenant, the provost, constituency MPs and MSPs for these services, and the council has consistently declined requests from MPs and MSPs that they be recharged for the cost of those wreaths.”

Mr Fleming added: “The council provide a wreath for individual members of the council representing the provost and for the representatives of the Lord Lieutenant at other services throughout North Lanarkshire, including Bellshill, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Wishaw and provide a wreath for the leader of the council minority group.”