SNP - Mired In Scandal
Another day another Scottish Minister mired in what most reasonable people would regard as scandal, though sadly not amongst those who 'wheesht for indy'.
Aileen Campbell, like other Scottish Ministers, has been insulated financially from the effects of Covid and recently left her post as Cabinet Secretary where she enjoyed a salary of £140,000 a year including pension benefits.
Previously, Aileen was a 'junior minister' for 10 years earning around £120,000 a year including pension benefits.
Aileen lined up her new, presumably well remunerated job as chief executive of Scottish Women's Football while she was still a member of the Scottish Government and without batting an eye, apparently, accepted a 'golden goodbye' worth £75,000 as a result of leaving the cabinet and the Scottish Parliament.
Holyrood's 'golden goodbye' payments are intended to help MSPs adjust to their new life outside politics and to compensate Ministers for their loss of office - the SNP's Derek Mackay received £12,000 reportedly whereas the more recently resigned Matt Hancock (a UK Conservative Minister declined his entitlement.
Yet whatever way you slice and dice Aileen Campbell's situation the level of 'adjustment' involved is somewhere between minimal and non-existent - and certainly doesn't justify spending £75,000 of public money.
A UK watchdog (Acoba), the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments which regulates jobs taken by former ministers and top civil servants has placed restrictions on Aileen's new role at SWF, understandably given the circumstances.Not impossible if you ask me, but it does still beg the question:
"Are 'identity politics' undermining the independence of Scotland's civil service and the integrity of our public institutions?"
Read the full story via Tom Gordon's article in The Herald.
Former SNP cabinet secretary Aileen Campbell ordered not to give 'unfair advantage' to new employer
Former SNP cabinet secretary ordered not to give 'unfair advantage' to new employer
FORMER SNP Cabinet Secretary Aileen Campbell has been ordered not to give an “unfair advantage” to her new employers after changing careers at the Holyrood election.
The former minister for sport has been warned not to use her contacts to help secure funding in her new role as chief executive of Scottish Women’s Football (SWF).
Ms Campbell was advised by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), the UK watchdog on jobs taken by former ministers and top civil servants.
It banned her from lobbying the Scottish Government and its quangoes on behalf of SWF for two years, or giving SWF advice that would help it get public funding or other unfair benefits.
It has also stopped her taking up the job until three months after her last day in office in May, and told her not to draw on or disclose any “privileged information”.
Ms Campbell, 41, was a minister for 10 years, including two years at public health and sport, before promotion to Communities Secretary in June 2018.
SWF manages the women’s club game, running 66 competitions, including the Scottish Women’s Premier League.
Ms Campbell warned Acoba in the spring the new job was likely to bring her into contact with the Scottish Government in the form of the sports quango, SportScotland.
Ms Campbell also told Acoba she had been in contact with the Scottish Football Association while in office, but took no decisions that benefitted the SWF directly.
However she did approve a £50,000 SportsScotland fund, £12,000 of which went to the SFA, some of which helped the SWF “deliver free products” to girls and women’s teams.
In April, Acoba sent Ms Campbell a heavily caveated approval letter.
The watchdog said it had considered her application and did not believe she had been offered the post in return for her past actions or decisions.
However it said “there could be a perceived risk you had access to information that is relevant to the sports sector” and reminded her she was “subject to a three month waiting period after leaving office before taking up any roles”.
READ MORE: SNP's Aileen Campbell gets £75,000 'golden goodbye' despite landing new job
It went on: “The Committee also agrees with the Scottish Government’s view that you would offer an unfair advantage to SWF if you were to be involved in any future bid for funding or contracts from the Scottish Government.
“Therefore, it would like to draw your attention to the ban on providing advice on a bid or a contract relating directly to the work of the UK Government, including with regard to funding, to mitigate the risk you may offer an unfair influence in the government’s funding decisions in the future.
“The Committee noted that given the contacts you will have gained from your time in office, there is a risk this could be seen to unfairly advantage SWF.
“The lobbying ban... makes clear it would be inappropriate for you to use your contacts across government to the unfair advantage of SWF.”
But Acoba said it would “not be improper” for Ms Campbell to have contact with the Government about helping SportsScotland deliver government policy.
The watchdog said that as she applied to it before leaving office, it was prepared to give Ms Campbell advice on condition she “revert to the Committee for further advice” if her circumstances changed.
“You should also recuse yourself from any further discussions in your current ministerial role on SWF,” it added.
The SWF said Ms Campbell had “followed the same application procedures as all other candidates” and was “happy to abide by Acoba’s advice”. It refused to give her salary.
