BACKGROUND

THE Sunday Post has led the way in revelations about Scotia Ald Sierra Leone and politicians last night rallied to praise our investigation.

Former charity boos Alex Cole-Hamilton, now a Lib Dem MSP, said: "I congratulate The Sunday Post for their work on this. It's so important we uncover bad practice like this and don't allow the actions of a small minority to rock the reputations of some really amazing causes."

SNP MSP Richard Lyle added: "The Sunday Post's excellent investigation highlights the extent these charity funds were misused by fat car bosses."

However, this type of investigative journalism will become a distant memory if draconian new regulations limiting the freedom of the press are introduced by Westminster.

If the proposed changes to Section 40 go ahead, newspapers would have to pay the hefty legal costs of both sides in libel and privacy actions brought against them. It means even after being proved 100% right, as we have been with Scotia Aid, we would still be facing a huge legal bill.

If this legislation was in effect when we learned of Kelly and Johnston's conduct, It's likely the investigation would never have seen the light of day. And these fat cats would have carried on, splashing money donated by Scots in good faith on flash cars and villas when it should have been helping poor African children.