MSP had party pics on Bebo

Mar 27 2008

THIS is the picture that was posted on a Clydesdale MSP’s bebo site.

It shows the SNP’s South of Scotland member Aileen Campbell partying with enthusiasm.

Labour sources claim the snaps were “hastily” removed after the election.

However, they came to light again this week when copies were sent to the Advertiser.

A rival party worker said: “The pictures seemed to disappear from the site about the same time the SNP started talking about a crackdown of drunken yobs.

Party pictures of MSP were posted on bebo website

“It’s not clear whether that was a coincidence.”

The party worker added: “It just shows that you need to watch what is put on sites such as bebo.

“These things can come back to bite you in the backside.”

It’s understood that the photographs were taken when Ms Campbell visited America to attend a wedding.

They were posted on the site after her return.

She said: “I am not going to say I don’t drink anything but to be honest, on this occasion, I wish I had as it would have given the story some relevance.”

She added: “While others in politics may want to focus on tittle-tattle, I am focused on real improvements for people in the South of Scotland, such as delivering the Council Tax freeze, improving local housing, reducing prescription charges, cutting small business rates to boost town centres and helping build a better future for rural Scotland.”

She had “no intention” of being distracted from the job.

At 27, Aileen Campbell is the youngest member of the current Scottish Parliament and is seen as a rising star at Holyrood.

She was elected to the Parliament last May on the South of Scotland list and has been outspoken on a variety of issues.

Before election, the Perth-born politician served as an aide to Dundee SNP MSP Shona Robison, and the party’s deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon.

Ms Campbell is a member of the Par liament’s education and lifelong learning committee.

SNP Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill has pledged to crack down on drunken louts who cause trouble in streets throughout Scotland.

He has increased the cost of alcohol licences to “counter the negative consequences of alcohol mis-use”.

Mr MacAskill also wants laws setting a minimum price for drink to counter cheap booze deals.

He has also sought talks with supermarkets to discuss the prices at which they sell drink “popular with yobs”.

Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “Anyone in a high profile position should be particularly aware of the risks of excessive drinking. They should be setting a good example and portraying a responsible image to the public.

“We need to change attitudes towards drunkenness because far too often it’s trivialised and seen as normal and even amusing behaviour. We want to see a Scotland where moderate, responsible drinking is the norm, and drunkenness has become socially unacceptable.”