Salmond spent £14k trying to impeach Blair
Friday, 19 June 2009 12:00 AM
By Ian Dunt
Alex Salmond was one of a group of MPs who racked up £14,100 in legal costs in an attempt to impeach Tony Blair - and charged it to the taxpayer.
In a beautiful touch of irony, the money went to Matrix chambers, the law firm in which Mr Blair's wife, Cherie, is a partner.
The first minister's spokesman described the claim as "totally legitimate" but the revelation opened up a chorus of criticism by onlookers.
Mr Salmond's share of the bill was £790. The rest was shared out among Scottish National party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru MPs.
The nationalist parties argued that Mr Blair had lied to the country about the case for war in Iraq, specifically on the weapons of mass destruction which allied forces failed to find once in the country.
David Whitton , Labour MSP at Holyrood, said: "Office running costs are met to allow an MP to fulfil his duties to his constituents. They are not there to allow party leaders to pay for expensive legal advice to pursue what turned out to be a complete waste of public money."
Mr Salmond has found himself in similar trouble over expenses as his Labour and Conservative opponents, having spent the maximum £400 a month on food from Westminster in the period up to May 2007, despite spending most of that time campaigning in Scotland.
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