Back in Glasgow, the Neil Hamilton guide to sleaze, bungs and freebies was on the education committee’s agenda, although officials judiciously labelled the item “Suitability of sponsors and materials provided free to the authority from other agencies”.
Over the past five years, the number of approaches from commercial agencies offering sponsorship or other forms of support has been on the increase, officials told councillors. It was “dangerous practice” to accept gifts, George Gardner, depute director, righteously proclaimed.
Walter MacLellan, a staunch Labour man, was naturally concerned. “I would not want to see Tennent’s Holyrood Secondary,” he stated. Retired Holyrood heidie Peter Mullen, the Catholic representative, who was sitting a few seats away, naturally concurred. He is more of a whisky man.
Disappointingly, there was not a mention of a Harrods hamper, a champagne weekend at the Ritz or bulging brown envelopes.
