The Scotsman: "Alan McCoombes, a policy co-ordinator for the Scottish Socialist Party, said: 'If there are irregularities and abuses of the system and he doesn't go down the same road as Henry McLeish, then the Scottish Conservative Party will continue its demise at an even faster speed than it already has been doing.

'That the Scottish taxpayer pays for a visit of a Scottish MSP to the Tory Party conference is ridiculous and he needs to face up to the consequences.'"