Defending the Indefensible
The SNP is apparently giving its full backing to Angus MacNeil MP who, along with his older colleague, Stewart Hosie, is caught up in a good, old-fashioned Westminster sex scandal.
Now these two middle aged men look extremely arrogant and stupid if you ask me, and, of course, Mr MacNeil is a 'repeat offender' after the Sunday Mail reported in 2007 that he had been involved in a 'drunken romp' with two teenage girls in a hotel room while his pregnant wife was in hospital expecting his third child.
But the real interest for me lies in the fact that Mr MacNeil owns a property in London and yet still bills the public purse for staying in hotels while on official Westminster business.
I assume Mr MacNeil bought the property soon after entering the House of Commons in 2005 and that he did so with mortgage that was paid for under the MPs' housing allowance scheme, part of the now discreditedMPs' expenses regime which was in place at the time.
Now this housing allowance scheme was abolished as a result the great MPs' expenses scandal, but Mr MacNeil (along with many others) benefited from the scheme until it was replaced in 2010 - and from the huge increase in London property prices.
The media report that Mr MacNeil earns £10,000 a year in rent from the property (which sounds very cheap for London) and that he claimed £16,665 in expenses for overnight hotel stays in 2014-15.
So the real question is how can an MP justify running up these huge hotel bills when he owns a property that was, in part at least, purchased with public money from the taxpayer?
Mr MacNeil may be operating 'within the rules', but in the court of public opinion I would say he's just another two-timing hypocrite.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36320955
SNP backs Angus MacNeil over hotel expenses claims
BBC Scotland politics
Front pages
Mr MacNeil has previously said that the new expenses rules were to blame, and that MPs should be allowed to claim for flats they own, as they did in the past.
Both Labour and the Conservatives have called for an investigation into any "potential misuse" of taxpayers' money by Mr MacNeil.
But a spokeswoman for the SNP said: "Angus MacNeil's accommodation has nothing to do with it. To suggest any financial impropriety is totally wrong."
Allegations of Ms Cowdy's affairs with the two SNP MPs have dominated the front pages of Scotland's newspapers over the past two days.
Mr MacNeil may be operating 'within the rules', but in the court of public opinion I would say he's just another two-timing hypocrite.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36320955
SNP backs Angus MacNeil over hotel expenses claims
BBC Scotland politics
Image captionThe SNP says Angus MacNeil (left) has not broken any financial rules
The SNP has insisted it was "totally wrong" to suggest that an MP at the centre of sex claims had committed financial impropriety.
Angus MacNeil is said to stayed with journalist Serena Cowdy at the Park Plaza hotel in London, and then claimed for the room on expenses.
Ms Cowdy is reported to have later been involved in a relationship with the SNP's deputy leader, Stewart Hosie.
Mr Hosie recently separated from his wife, SNP MSP Shona Robison.
London area
Mr MacNeil, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles), has claimed about £90,000 in accommodation expenses since 2010/11, including £17,823.97 in 2014/15 - the period in which he was said to have been having an affair with Ms Cowdy.
The vast majority of the claims have been for hotels in the London area.
This is despite Mr MacNeil owning a flat in Lambeth, which is about a 15-minute walk from the House of Commons.
The SNP has insisted it was "totally wrong" to suggest that an MP at the centre of sex claims had committed financial impropriety.
Angus MacNeil is said to stayed with journalist Serena Cowdy at the Park Plaza hotel in London, and then claimed for the room on expenses.
Ms Cowdy is reported to have later been involved in a relationship with the SNP's deputy leader, Stewart Hosie.
Mr Hosie recently separated from his wife, SNP MSP Shona Robison.
London area
Mr MacNeil, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles), has claimed about £90,000 in accommodation expenses since 2010/11, including £17,823.97 in 2014/15 - the period in which he was said to have been having an affair with Ms Cowdy.
The vast majority of the claims have been for hotels in the London area.
This is despite Mr MacNeil owning a flat in Lambeth, which is about a 15-minute walk from the House of Commons.
Image caption - Ms Cowdy was said to have been involved in an affair with Mr Hosie as well as Mr MacNeil
Mr MacNeil, who separated from his wife last year, is understood to have bought the flat under previous Westminster expenses rules, which allowed him to charge mortgage interest payments to his parliamentary expenses.
But when the rules changed following the MPs' expenses scandal, Mr MacNeil became one of several MPs who chose to rent out their properties and instead claim expenses for staying in hotels or rented accommodation when in London. There is no suggestion that the practice is against Westminster expenses rules.
Mr MacNeil, who separated from his wife last year, is understood to have bought the flat under previous Westminster expenses rules, which allowed him to charge mortgage interest payments to his parliamentary expenses.
But when the rules changed following the MPs' expenses scandal, Mr MacNeil became one of several MPs who chose to rent out their properties and instead claim expenses for staying in hotels or rented accommodation when in London. There is no suggestion that the practice is against Westminster expenses rules.
Front pages
Mr MacNeil has previously said that the new expenses rules were to blame, and that MPs should be allowed to claim for flats they own, as they did in the past.
Both Labour and the Conservatives have called for an investigation into any "potential misuse" of taxpayers' money by Mr MacNeil.
But a spokeswoman for the SNP said: "Angus MacNeil's accommodation has nothing to do with it. To suggest any financial impropriety is totally wrong."
Allegations of Ms Cowdy's affairs with the two SNP MPs have dominated the front pages of Scotland's newspapers over the past two days.
Image copyright - PAImage caption - Nicola Sturgeon embraced Mr Hosie's wife, Shona Robison, after being re-elected as first minister on Tuesday
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon - who was re-elected as Scotland's first minister on Tuesday - was asked several times by journalists whether she still had confidence in Mr Hosie, who is due to lead the party's new independence drive over the summer.
Ms Sturgeon said only that it was a "private matter", that Mr Hosie was "elected as deputy leader of the party" and that she had no further comment to make.
The first minister was photographed in the Holyrood chamber embracing Ms Robison - who served as her health secretary until the recent election, and who has been married to Dundee East MP Mr Hosie for nearly 20 years.
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon - who was re-elected as Scotland's first minister on Tuesday - was asked several times by journalists whether she still had confidence in Mr Hosie, who is due to lead the party's new independence drive over the summer.
Ms Sturgeon said only that it was a "private matter", that Mr Hosie was "elected as deputy leader of the party" and that she had no further comment to make.
The first minister was photographed in the Holyrood chamber embracing Ms Robison - who served as her health secretary until the recent election, and who has been married to Dundee East MP Mr Hosie for nearly 20 years.
