David Maddox: Things that should not be done with parliamentary equipment

Labour MSP Karen Whitefield (pictured top left) has been landed in a spot of bother today by her parliamentary researcher who put out the following e-mail:



From: <Karen.Whitefield.msp@scottish.parliament.uk>
Date: 27 October 2009 10:22:46 GMT
Subject: Telephone Canvassing for Glasgow North East
Dear Colleagues
Just a reminder that Usdaw have agreed to open their Edinburgh Office on Wednesday night for MSPs/ MSP researchers to help with telephone canvassing for the Glasgow North East by election.
The office will be open between 5.30pm and 8pm.
If you can spare an hour or so to help out, please let me know ASAP - a voting button is attached.
Usdaw will also be opening up next Wednesday evening so if you could help then, please let me know.
Thanks
Cara
Cara Hilton Parliamentary Researcher to Karen Whitefield MSP for Airdrie & Shotts



Unfortunately Ms Hilton managed to send this e-mail not only to Labour MSPs and researchers, but every single one in the Scottish Parliament, including all the other parties. In fairness Ms Hilton did realise her mistake and try to recall the e-mail but too late.
For those who do not know this breaks the code of practice, which is that MSPs must not use their staff during work time or parliamentary facilities for political campaigning of this nature.
The reason for this rule is that tax payers' money should not be used for party political activities.
Naturally, complaints were made and Ms Whitefield has had to give the authorities assurances that her office has not done this before nor will it do it again.
But there was an interesting lack of public complaining about and parties calling the media to cry foul, which suggests that this sort of thing may be more widespread than this one indiscretion.

But this is not the only indiscretion to come my way today. I note that Lib Dem Dunfermline and West Fife MP has been a bit sulky about the beeb on his Twitter.
He wrote: "is not impressed by Radio Scotland's Scotland@10 - I did them a favour by staying late but then got cut out half the slot."
I guess worse things happen, even to sulky MPs.