Glenrothes Socialists Demand Answers On Missing £40,000

Glenrothes SSP Press Release 31st January 2002
Scottish Socialist Party representatives today details of the latest scandal over the arrangements between the Fife Council and Henry McLeish over the sublet of Mr McLeish’s office by the charity Third Age. The controversy has been re-ignited by the revelation that the charity was paid forty thousand pounds by Fife Council after the management committee was wound down. It has been argued that under Council rules this should not have happened even if the charity’s groups continued to meet.

Council chiefs have confirmed that documents relating to Third Age have been destroyed. These fresh revelations appear to place Henry McLeish's close Labour allies, including his wife in precarious positions regarding the Third Age charity. Scottish Socialist Party members in Glenrothes pointed out today that they have been calling for the resignation of Henry McLeish since he stepped down as First Minister. The longer this fiasco continues, the more right they appear to have been.

SSP spokesman Jim Balfour said, "To award a £20,000 grant that was not deserved is incompetent. To let it happen again is seriously negligent. The fact that the people involved inthe Third Age fiasco are such close allies of Henry McLeish strongly suggests a cover up - a fiddle rather than a muddle.

"We demanded Henry McLeish's resignation from the Scottish Parliament on 8th November. I now restate that demand in the light of this new information.

"An independent inquiry," he added, "Must immediately be launched to account for the £40,000."

Glenrothes Branch secretary, Felicity Garvie said that it places the re-selection of Henry McLeish in a different light also." I wonder whether the Labour Party members who have just been balloted for his reselection don't feel duped now. If this had happened in the SSP, we would want to suspend or reopen the selection process in light of new allegations. Fife Council is either incompetent, blind or covering up for their crony Henry in denying everything, but then again, what can you expect from a Council which has been dominated by Labour for decades - a party that has power way beyond its electoral proportion and lacks any accountability to its electors."