Labour leadership hopeful Anas Sarwar accepted a £4000 political donation from a company owned by convicted child sex attacker Ali Najafian.
The MSP has admitted he may have met the Iranian millionaire – who has given £8000 to Labour in total – at party events. But he knew nothing of his criminal record.
Sarwar has proven himself to be an effective and compassionate MP and MSP for more than a decade and does not deserve to have his bid to succeed Richard Leonard derailed over this scandal.
But the revelations will understandably cause people to question his judgement.
If he didn’t know about the offending of a significant donor, then he or his office should have done better background checks.
It highlights just how careful politicians and parties of all stripes have to be when it comes to the murky world of donations.
Ordinary citizens only get to exercise their tiny allocation of democratic political power every few years when they vote.
It would be naive to think rich individuals and companies who hand over thousands of pounds do not, on occasion, want something in return.
We have seen shocking examples in recent months of Conservative donors being given multi-million pound contracts for PPE.
That is why it is essential that elected politicians know exactly who is signing the cheques that fund their privileged position – representing all of us.
Greedy firms
Thousands of key workers have risked their lives in the pandemic to keep the country moving.
It shouldn’t be too much to ask that employers do everything they can to keep them safe and not make unreasonable demands.
But a Sunday Mail investigation has revealed companies receiving Scottish Government contracts are ignoring vital Covid-19 health advice and asking staff to come into workplaces.
Charities and unions have warned that some employers are “manipulating essential worker status for their own ends”.
Far too many people have already lost their lives to this terrible virus.
It would be a disgrace if that tragic total increased as a result of corporate greed.
Waiting game
Game Of Thrones star Richard Madden could be back in the running to replace Daniel Craig as the new James Bond.
Movie bosses have hinted they need a younger star because the next 007 movie won’t be filmed until at least 2024.
So the youthful 34-year-old Scot now has time to age into the part.
