MSP faces Holyrood ban after rule breach
Deputy Scottish Political Editor
Alexander Burnett failed to declare personal business interests before quizzing ministers on a proposal by a rival firm.
He submitted a series of written questions to Scottish ministers about a proposed property development in his Aberdeenshire West constituency by Ross Developments and Renewables.
But Mr Burnett failed to mention he owns rival firm Bancon Developments Holdings.
The Conservative was accused of ‘the worst kind of self-serving politics’ and a formal complaint was submitted by former Nationalist MSP Christian Allard to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.
He alleged Mr Burnett asked the questions in a bid to lobby the Government against the rival firm’s development in Banchory – where he owns a construction company.
The commissioner found Mr Burnett had failed to declare an interest when he tabled five questions relating to planning matters.
This included two related to a planning application in Aberdeenshire his company had objected to.
Yesterday, Holyrood’s standards committee revealed Mr Burnett faces being banned from asking written questions for two weeks following the breach of rules.
The sanction will go before parliament and MSPs will vote on whether to impose it.
Mr Burnett said: ‘It was my judgment at the time that there was no conflict of interest as I was simply acting on behalf of several hundred very concerned constituents.
‘However, I accept the decision of the committee and will not contest any sanction that is imposed.’
Mr Burnett, who is one of the richest MSPs, is the beneficiary of multi-million-pound trusts, and the owner of a property empire in the North-East.
Yesterday Mike Adams, spokesman for the Stop Scolty Redevelopment Group, insisted Mr Burnett was acting for his constituents.
He said: ‘This was a case that involved the Scottish Government attempting to intervene in a controversial planning application at the request of a local landowner.
‘The community drove all efforts to expose any wrongdoing and establish the facts. Our MSP simply raised those concerns through the appropriate channels.’
But Mr Allard, now an SNP councillor, said it was time Mr Burnett was ‘brought to book for treating the people of Aberdeenshire West with such contempt’.
He added: ‘He owes them a public apology – after all, if he’s having his wings clipped in parliament, then they lose their voice at Holyrood.’