BBC NEWS: "MSPs have been paid more than £1m by the taxpayer to purchase second homes in Edinburgh, it has emerged.

BBC Scotland has confirmed that the money was claimed by 38 politicians.

Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan has called for an official inquiry into what he calls widespread abuse of the Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance.

But a spokesman said the present scheme was approved by the Scottish Parliament in 2001 and that the regulations had been followed in every case.

The allowance enables MSPs who live more than 90 minutes' journey from the Scottish Parliament to have subsidised mortgages for second homes in the capital.

They can claim up to £10,600 per year towards housing expenses.

Mr Sheridan called for an investigation into three former Scottish National Party MSPs who he said had made more than £100,000 profit after selling their subsidised flats.

They had claimed mortgage allowances of £90,000 before selling up.

Another four MSPs, who have now left the parliament, have kept flats with a current market value of nearly £500,000. They claimed subsidies of almost £130,000.

A parliament spokesman said the regulations had been followed.

However, Mr Sheridan said the rules need to be changed.

The Socialist MSP has already accused Scottish Executive ministers of using the accommodation allowance scheme to cash in on Edinburgh's property price boom.

Since 1999 the taxpayer has paid 11 executive ministers almost £340,000 towards the costs of the second homes they have bought in the capital.

The average house price in the city has almost doubled over that period."

BBC NEWS: "Scottish Executive ministers have been accused of using an accommodation allowance scheme to cash in on Edinburgh's property price boom.
Under the scheme, MSPs can claim up to £10,600 per year towards housing expenses if they live too far from Holyrood to commute.
Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan said at least three ministers used the scheme to subsidise property speculation.
A parliament spokesman said it was a scheme approved by MSPs.
He said all the payments were within the rules and allowed MSPs who lived far from the capital to do their jobs properly.
Under the scheme, MSPs who live further away than a 90-minute train journey from Edinburgh can claim allowances to cover hotel bills, flat rentals or interest on mortgages on property bought for overnight stays.
Since 1999 the taxpayer has paid 11 executive ministers almost £340,000 towards the costs of the second homes they have bought in Edinburgh.
The average house price in the city has almost doubled over that period.
A number of ministers have bought flats, sold them and then used the profits to buy more expensive properties.
Mr Sheridan, a list MSP for Glasgow, said it was an 'outrageous abuse of taxpayers' money'.
He said: 'The Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance was never meant to be a get-rich-quick scheme for any politician, let alone well-paid Cabinet ministers.'
Mr Sheridan highlighted the cases of former deputy first minister Jim Wallace, Transport Minister Tavish Scott and the deputy minister for enterprise, Allan Wilson.
Mr Wilson bought a flat in Edinburgh for £65,000 in 2000.
He sold it last year for £108,000 and has since bought another apartment for £238,000."
The deputy minister has been paid £34,000 towards the costs of his Edinburgh properties.
Mr Sheridan said: "We have got individuals like Mr Wallace, Mr Wilson and Mr Scott who each have received over £30,000 in taxpayer's subsidy and each have made over £30,000 in personal profit.
"That is a disgrace. That is a particular gravy train that has got to be brought to a stop."
The ministers named by Mr Sheridan declined to comment on the accusations.

SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 03/08/05

SSP warns of racist and Islamophobic violence after Tory remarks

Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Colin Fox tonight warned of a tidal wave of Islamophobic and racist violence as a result of comments being made by politicians and inflammatory material published in the press.

Colin was speaking on the eve of a visit by Scottish ministers to Glasgow Central Mosque to meet leaders of the Muslim community in Scotland.
Colin said that comments by Gerald Howarth, the shadow defence minister, were identical to those espoused by the racist British National Party.
The Tory politician was reported as saying that “If they don't like our way of life, there is a simple remedy: go to another country, get out.”

The Scottish Socialist Party has written to Muslim and ethnic minority organisations across Scotland offering support and solidarity and pledging to continue its campaigning efforts against the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, against racism, for the defence of civil rights and for peace and justice.

Colin said;
“Every politician who makes the kind of remarks that Gerald Howarth did must share responsibility for the massive upsurge in racist and Islamophobic violence over the past weeks.
“These kind of remarks are fuelling hatred on our streets and giving racist thugs the respectable cover they need to carry out attacks in broad daylight such as the one on two Asian men in Leith last week.
“It is absolutely outrageous that a Tory shadow minister should be espousing ideas that are identical to the racist British National Party.
“We are also hearing demands that people should swear allegiance to Great Britain to prove that they are loyal citizens.
“This is absolute nonsense.
“Along with hundreds of thousands of Scots, Irish and Welsh, I too do not wish to be associated with ‘Britishness’; does that mean that the Conservative Party want to see us deported ?
“There is a very real danger that the racist and Islamophobic remarks of politicians along with inflammatory material in certain sections of the press will launch a tidal wave of violence against our ethnic minority communities.
“The Scottish Socialist Party pledges to stand alongside Scotland’s Muslim and ethnic minority communities against racism and Islamophobia and to continue our campaigns against the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq and in defence of our civil rights and for peace and justice.”
[ends]

Scotsman

SCOTLAND'S biggest celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar is being organised by an official of the far-right British National Party, it was revealed yesterday.
Kenny Smith, the Scottish regional secretary of the BNP, heads a committee planning "Trafalgar at the Fort", which is to be staged at Fort George, near Inverness, in October.
Fellow organisers were previously unaware of his links to the BNP, but say they support him "100 per cent" and have insisted the event should go ahead.
But his involvement brought strong criticism from the Scottish Socialist Party.
Steve Arnott, the SSP's Highlands and Islands regional organiser, said: "The BNP are trying to pretend they are a serious political party but they avowedly promote racist and religious hatred.
"I'm sure the people of Culloden and Smithton will be horrified to learn that such a senior figure of the BNP also holds an influential role on their community council."