Officegate report finally sent to fiscal

A PROTRACTED investigation into Henry McLeish, the former First Minister, was finally concluded last night after police submitted a report to the procurator fiscal on the so-called "Officegate" affair.

Fife Police confirmed a full report had been sent to Barry Heywood, Tayside’s procurator fiscal, after the force completed inquiries directed by the Crown Office into fraud allegations made against Mr McLeish, who succeeded Donald Dewar as first minister.

A spokesman for the force confirmed the report had been submitted, adding that the decision to press ahead with charges against the politician would now lie with the procurator fiscal and the Crown Office.

He said: "A report has been submitted to the area procurator fiscal at Dundee and, in agreement with the fiscal, we cannot add anything at this time. It is now in their hands."

Under standard practice, the fiscal and the Crown Office would quickly decide whether or not a police report should lead to a prosecution, but it is understood that the sensitive nature of the McLeish case could lead to further delays.

In July last year, Fife Police were harshly criticised by the Scottish National Party for the length of time the inquiry was taking. The force denied dragging its heels, claiming it was waiting for more information from Westminster officials.

The investigation into the financial affairs of Mr McLeish’s Central Fife constituency began in November 2001, a month after the former first minister stood down from his post in disgrace over allegations of financial irregularity.

The investigation has centred on Mr McLeish’s constituency office in Glenrothes at the time when he was MP for Central Fife. He was forced to resign after he admitted claiming the rent for his office from the taxpayer at the same time as getting undeclared income from sub-letting the property.

Throughout the long-running Officegate saga, Mr McLeish insisted there had been no wrongdoing, saying there had been "a muddle not a fiddle".

In September last year, he announced he would not be contesting the Holyrood elections in May, saying: "Politics is about more than elected office".

The MSP has also said he plans to remain active in Scottish life but was recently linked to a lecturer’s role at a top American university.

Last year, his decision to accept a golden handshake from Westminster after promising not to do so, was questioned by standards watchdogs at the parliament. They found he had not broken the MSPs’ code of conduct but criticised him for going back on a public promise not to take the £30,000 severance payment.

Susan Deacon, Mr McLeish’s former Labour cabinet colleague, joined in the criticism, suggesting his behaviour had fallen short of the "highest possible standards of integrity and trust". The SNP went further, claiming his conduct had brought the parliament "into disrepute".

Mr McLeish, who now maintains a very low profile at Holyrood, has refused to respond to the attacks. He had previously told MSPs he would not accept a resettlement payment he was entitled to when he stood down as an MP.