The ex-MP Scots firebrand, a former Bollywood star and a euro jolly at YOUR expense
‘They shamelessly enjoy the benefits’
THIS is Alex Salmond still enjoying the taxpayerfunded gravy train – four months after he was kicked out of Parliament.
Despite losing his Westminster seat in June, the former Scottish first minister is still racking up four-figure expenses bills by representing the Commons abroad.
British taxpayers are picking up the tab as Mr Salmond and his SNP colleague Tasmina AhmedSheikh – who was also ousted at the election – have been allowed to remain part of the delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) which meets in Strasbourg.
Last week – for the second time since losing their seats – they flew out for the quarterly get-togethers which are dismissed by critics as a ‘talking shop’, at a cost of up to £3,000. While on the three- day jolly the pair enjoyed three-and-ahalf- hour lavish booze- fuelled dinners in the French city, including at a restaurant featured in the Michelin guide.
On Tuesday evening, after downing several glasses of sparkling wine at a brasserie, Mr Salmond, 62, was seen smoking a cigarette and dancing outside in the street close to the boutique hotel where he and Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh, 47, were staying.
In addition to travel costs they can each charge the taxpayer up to €170 (£153) a night for accommodation and up to €80.50 (£72.52) a day for food and drink.
Receipts obtained by the Daily Mail show that, on previous trips, Mr Salmond and Mrs AhmedSheikh, a former model and Bollywood star, travelled business class. The pair also went on a ‘political affairs and democracy’ visit to Iceland last September for which Mr Salmond claimed £1,615 and Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh £1,634.
Alex Wild of the TaxPayers’ Alliance last night said: ‘This is just ridiculous. Taxpayers should not be paying for ex-MPs to attend talking shops and eat at expensive restaurants. Families could only dream of experiencing the luxuries these failed politicians take for granted on the public purse.’
Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh is a regular presence at Mr Salmond’s side and was the producer of his Edinburgh Festival show.
The mother of four stood as a Tory against current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in the 1999 election, when she warned about the SNP’s thirst for an independence referendum. But within months of losing she signed up to become a member.
In 2015 she was elected as MP for Ochil and South Perthshire and was given a frontbench job and regularly represented the SNP on TV. But two years on, she and Mr Salmond suffered the humiliation of losing their seats to the resurgent Tories.
But rather than let a sitting MP or peer take their places on the PACE group, Mr Salmond and Mrs Ahmed- Sheikh have requested to continue attending. Under parliamentary rules, they can remain part of the delegation for up to six months after defeat.
Politicians from across the continent are brought together four times a year to discuss ‘social problems and aspects of international politics’ at its meetings.
Last Monday, the pair snubbed the SNP conference in Glasgow as they returned to the French city for another meeting of the assembly. During the five-day event, Mr Salmond and Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh took part in three debates. They also voted on three motions, including a call to ‘reaffirm European unity’ and ‘defend democratic security’.
A Scottish Conservatives spokesman said: ‘For two people who profess to hate Westminster, they certainly seem to shamelessly enjoy the benefits it allows.’
Mr Salmond and Mrs AhmedSheikh did not respond to requests for comment.