Scottish Conservatives call in police over missing £150k

A Scottish party worker is suspected of having filtered off £150,000 of party membership subscriptions over the last year.

The missing funds were discovered after a routine financial check, and The Scotsman says the blackhole has sparked a financial crisis forcing the party to ask donors for help covering the shortfall. A source within the Conservatives was reported to have said:

"The whole thing has been a major embarrassment. It has shown the accounting system was not too robust – which is why no-one noticed until it was too late."

Comments

[Ken Stevens]

Isn't it odd that there is a Scottish Conservative Party -- but not an English one? !!!

English Voice:
http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=mypagesuite&refresh=3q1SyE401tD5&EID=b1070c5a-161c-472b-aad6-11ba24d601e2

[Edward I]

That's nothing to the billions that the Scots have "filtered off" the English taxpayer

[Boy Blue]

....or, come to that, the tens of billions of Scottish oil revenues that have subsidised the English taxpayer for decades.

[John Reeks]

If you hate the Scots so much for 'filtering off' money from the English taxpayer then you should add the Welsh, Northern Irish, Northern English, Cornish to the list. In fact, why not just tally up every single person in the country that receives a net gain from the government and just shoot them? The two arguments about Scottish oil revenue being appropriated by England, and the one about Scottish people fiddling the English out of house and home are equally absurd, so errr grow up?

[Ken Stevens]

Nothing to do with who supposedly subsidises whom. There are inconclusive arguments in both directions and it is right that better off parts of UK help the less fortunate areas ( though these should be defined in a somewhat smaller and more targetted framework than e.g. Scotland as a whole)
It's simply the gross democratic deficit whereby devolution applies to anywhere but England.

English regional devolution can never be the answer when Scotland & Wales have nation-based devolution.It could only become a valid possibility as a component of localism under the aegis of an English Parliament.

Restore & enhance the UK - including a single Conservative Party- or else get on with federation or independence.

The UK didn't fall apart with the departure of the south of Ireland. We can still freely intermingle in both directions. So why the hang-up about Home Rule for England?

[wtf]

Ken Stevens, yes, it is funny, especially as it is entirely within the power of the ENGLISH leadership of the Conservative Party to change things and create an "English Conservative Party", but the funny thing is: these ENGLISH politicians choose not to do so.

I also seem to recall that a majority of ENGLISH MPs voted for the Scotland Act which created lop-sided devolution. Didn’t a majority of ENGLISH MPs also vote for the Maastricht Treaty as well? They didn’t care too much about English sovereignty and democracy then, did they, but then the MPs that gave England away to the EU and refuse to create an English Parliament were all elected by ENGLISH voters so it’s hardly the Scots’ fault.

[Jack Stone]

If the Conservative Party believes we should have a say on Europe then why are we not in favour of letting the Scottish people have there say about there future within the United Kingdom.
I believe that the Conservatives up in Scotland should say we are in favour of the union but we will let the people decide.If nothing else let us have some sort of consistency.

[Ken Stevens]

wtf | April 14, 16:59

"it’s hardly the Scots’ fault."

Absolutely correct (- daren't say otherwise 'cos I married one!)

The voters of England haven't had a choice in the matter, because none of the parties that have a realistic chance of power offer any such options for correction of the English democratic deficit (nor re the nature of EU membership). Polling suggests that somewhat over 60% want an an English Parliament. That poll doesn't seem to have any credibility with UK politicians, yet there is much navel-gazing at polls indicating that this or that party is a fraction of that 60% ahead of another party.

Despite being self-evidently an uninformed, ignorant layman, I forecast that minor parties will increase share of voting. It will remain miniscule but perhaps sufficient in some areas to adversely affect expectations of gains or holdings by candidates of major parties.

If I was clever and/or influential enough, I'd start a "Vote for anyone but ConLabLibDematives and make a difference". Nice concise catchphrase, huh?!

[Ken Stevens]

Jack Stone | April 14, 17:55
"..why are we not in favour of letting the Scottish people have their say..."

Or the voters of England likewise

[Riddiford in England]

Surely the money wasnt nicked.

It was more likely donated to the English Democratic party to help change its name to The English Conservative Party.

But there again The scottish socialist workers party/ commune /tribe needed help.

Keep on going you are almost out of the jaws of England... next door step hopefully for you and England will be out of The Soviet EUnion.

[Scottish Tory]

Come on people, England/Scotland..it's all irrelevant; we are all British together, united in a common language, culture and history..let's not forget that and divide ourselves up into petty tribes!

[wtf]

"England will be out of The Soviet EUnion"

I doubt that Riddiford. A majority of English MPs voted for the EU CONstitution. A majority of English MPs voted for the Maastricht Treaty. A majority of English MPs voted for one-sided devolution. A majority of English MPs favour staying in the EU and are against an English Parliament. Labour won a majority in England alone in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

And these MPs are all voted by the English peope. But then, you won't hear the ignorant English Democrat members admit that!

On another note, many votes did the English Democrats get at the last election? Any?

[Sam S]

I reject the petty nationalities of England and Scotland.

We're British and should unite.

I cant believe that we are all somehow completely 'English/Scottish/Kentish'.

[ChrisD]

What an appalling thread, not one decent comment addressing the detail of the article posted by the editor.
And you wonder why none of the once regular Scottish posters ever bother to post anymore on this type of thread!

[Huntarian]

I am astounded that this news item has not provoked some more serious comment or for that matter some serious questions from Scottish Tories, rather than the usual Scotland v England Barnet/ oil wisecracks.
The first question should be why this apparently only came to light after serious concerns were voiced about the state of the SCCO finances by someone on the executive. Then and only then, did the treasurer notice that there was a huge hole in the bank balance. The leader imposed David Mundell as interim chairman of the Scottish Party after the departure of the Peter Duncan a man whom according to his successor had managerial and financial skills akin to those of King Canute. Fear not we were told, the Interim Chairman was going to reconstruct the party machine - and what a fine job he has done?
First there was the complete debacle that was the Scottish Priority seat selection process, - still incomplete. Little wonder this same MP has consistently come bottom of the Conhome monthly opinion ratings since he entered the shadow cabinet. Now on his watch 150K has vanished from the SCCO bank account – a simple fraud we are told and a member of staff is under police investigation. How many fundraisers will be needed to replace this cash?
My second question is simply this – how much longer will the poor long-suffering foot soldiers- i.e. the members have to put up with this gross incompetence? If it was a public company the shareholders would be baying for blood and there would be sacrifices starting at the top. The party in Scotland has an executive and a treasurer, surely the monthly management accounts should have shown up this discrepancy months ago. What have they been doing for the last twelve months if they have not been monitoring the finances? On any analysis this cash represents a significant part of the income /expenditure in a year.
It’s high time someone got a grip at SCCO.

[David McEwan Hill]

If I was a scottish Tory I'd be rather more worried about the dissappearance of any obvious political consistency and judgement from Scotland's Tory Party. After the Scottish election it started well thenit got into cahoots with the risible and imploding Scottish Labour party and its been downhill ever since.
It might interst contributors here to know that he last two reputable opinion polls published in Scotland - from MRUK and TNS System Three, both highly reputable pollsters - put support for Scottish Independence at 41% - virtually the same as the proportion against.

[ChrisD]

David McEwan Hill, can you try to bear in mind that some of the readers of this site do actually live in Scotland....We experience the reality of politics here rather than the rhetoric reported in some newspapers down South!
I know that you would have us believe that the SNP led Alex Salmond ( a politician I rate as very effective) are winning the argument for independence, you are not, but you are proving a more effective administration than your critics thought.
But at the end of the day, I would not bet my house on you winning the independence vote on the back of a couple of polls!

[Ken Stevens]

ChrisD | April 15 00:27
"..not one decent comment addressing the detail of the article posted by the editor..."

Well, 'a political party unable to run its own financial affairs satisfactorily' is not exactly a startlingly new sort of topic, whichever party one refers to. Therefore, what material points could one make on the topic? The reminder that there is a Scottish Tory party but not an English one was of far more import.

Scottish Tory | April 14, 22:00
"..we are all British together, ..let's not forget that and divide ourselves up into petty tribes!"
So, why is there not just one Conservative Party ... and maybe you should sign yourself 'British Tory' ;-)

ChrisD | April 15, 01:44
'..Alex Salmond ( a politician I rate as very effective)...'

I heartily concur. Leaving aside political flavours, he is the most focussed and most personable of politicians in the DisUnited Kingdom.

Where is the Alex Salmond for England or for a ReUnited Kingdom, depending on one's point of view?

I don't see one.
Just an amorphous load of apparatchiks with barely perceptible differences of detail (and none of principle) between same old, same old policies.

[Torygordon]

I agree with Huntarian that this thread should have provoked more comment from Tories in Scotland. Shame it has turned in to a cliched fight over nationalism and who subsidises which parts of the UK.

Why is a local funding dispute pitting conservatives against each other when David Cameron has made clear that a version of "English votes for English laws" will be party policy at the next election and that the funding formula for public spending across the UK will be revised?

Back to the original story (which is certainly of "import" to those living north of the border), how on earth was this allowed to happen? £150K is a large proportion of the party's budget in Scotland. Simple monthly checks should have prevented a fraud however - we are not exactly talking about a wizard Nick Leeson-style scam are we? It is a sorry and demoralising state of affairs.