Ex-SNP MP labelled ‘amateurish’ amid misconduct tribunal

A former SNP MP was branded “amateurish” yesterday as she appeared at a tribunal to defend charges of professional misconduct.

Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, who lost the Ochil & South Perthshire seat in 2017, faces accusations she broke strict solicitors’ rules while administering a trust fund while working at a now defunct legal firm before she was elected.

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh, who now works with Alex Salmond in his broadcasting company, Slainte Media, appeared with her former legal partner Alan Mickel in front of the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal in Perth.

The pair became trustees of a fund set up to benefit Mr Mickel’s sister in 2012.

The Law Society of Scotland began an investigation after the balance in the fund plunged from more than £145,000 to only £159.

Grant Knight, representing the Law Society of Scotland, told the tribunal Mr Mickel broke the profession’s rules by borrowing from the fund to help his legal practice Hamilton Burns – which eventually went bankrupt in 2017 owing at least £600,000.

Both were also accused of a conflict of interest created by the loans and Ms Ahmed-Sheikh was singled out for not putting the deals under greater scrutiny.

The pair admitted proper accounting practices were not followed, which was Ms Ahmed-Sheikh’s key area of responsibility as “cash flow partner”.

Mr Knight told the panel there was “no suggestion of dishonesty or impropriety” but described the pair’s approach as “amateurish”.

“Both of these respondents should have known what these rules were,” he said.

“This is not a misfortune. This a disregard of the rules set down by the solicitors’ regulatory body as regarding how you manage clients’ funds. They have to take recognition of that.”

The hearing continues.