THE SNP have called for the Scottish Tories to hand back “tainted” donations received from two firms.
Last week it emerged the Conservatives in Aberdeenshire accepted a £20,000 donation just before the Holyrood election from a company linked to a huge fishing fraud.
The donation was from the Unity Fishing Company, which is owned and run by four brothers. In 2012, the eldest brother Stephen Bellamy was fined £35,000 for his involvement in a £23 million scam involving illegal catches of fish.
Another donation of £20,000 was given to the Scottish Tories in 2017 by PB Devco, a family-run company which runs a number of bars in Aberdeen.
Last week a senior employee, who is also member of the family, pled guilty to drug dealing.
SNP MSP Audrey Nicoll said the Tories at Holyrood should prove they are serious about distancing themselves from sleaze, in the wake of the Owen Paterson scandal.
She said: “The cash the Scottish Tories have pocketed from both these companies is deeply tainted – and in both cases they should now return the money.
“The party isn’t responsible for the behaviour of these companies or the individuals employed by the firms – but they are entirely responsible for the company they keep and the cash they choose to accept and to keep.
“In the case of the Unity Fishing donation, it came after the company’s well-publicised involvement in a huge illegal fish-landing scam.
“This is now a test of leadership for Douglas Ross.”
On the PB Devco money, a spokesman for the Scottish Tories said the party had never received a donation from this “private citizen”.
He added: “All donations are properly reported to the Electoral Commission, as required by UK law.”
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