I think they're catched!

News reaches my delicate ears that Ickle Wendibles knew about the Paul green donation.

No! You say ...

Yes! I say ...

I'm shocked by it too, but I really must tell you the truth.

Paul Green (he of the dodgy donation) has in his possession a letter "I have in my hand a piece of paper" he is reputed to have said.

This epistle is from Alexander the Grate thanking him very much for his donation to her campaign (that'll be the donation she didn't know about then).

Not only, but also:

It wasn't the only donation he made - oh no - he also made a donation of £950 to Labour in Glasgow South - a donation solicited by one Charles Gordon Esq, lately departed.

£950? Hang on - is the Labour Party at the capers? You betcha!

Wee Charlie (why is everyone in the Labour Party so wee?) has said "Ach dammit, made a mess of that one as well, didn't I" - or words to that effect.

Mr Green (of Buchanan Street fame) said he was a tad upset that Charlie Gordon was to lose his career (bless!) but that he regarded this episode as a storm in a teacup. Was that not what Brian Taylor said about Henry McLeish?

Now, both these chaps are in serious soapy bubble as is Tom McCabe (Wendy's campaign manager) who tried to tell us on Newsnicht last night that they received a corporate donation in the form of a personal cheque. "It came from a company, m'lud, never mind that it was a personal cheque, all companies pay for things with personal cheques, yes they do they do they do. I'm going to tell my mum" he said (I'm paraphrasing here). So that's three people looking at big fines or a spell in the big hoose, but spare a thought for Wendy.

Wendy is the regulated donee. She can be fined and go to jail and have a sum equivalent to the donation forfeited as well as returning the donation. See here:

4.3 It is the legal responsibility of a regulated donee, when receiving a donation to take all reasonable steps forthwith to satisfy themselves that the source of a donation is permissible within the relevant PPERA rules. If a donation is received from an impermissible source, it must be returned within 30 days (Sch. 7, Paragraph 8). After this time, it is a criminal offence to retain the donation, with a potential penalty of a fine and up to one year in prison (see Appendix B, ‘Penalties’). Additionally, a sum equivalent to the value of the donation may be forfeited (Sch 7 Paragraph 8). If a donation is returned because it was impermissible, the return of the donation must be reported to the Commission. Regulated donees must have robust procedures in place to ensure that they are able to complete the required checks within the 30-day time frame allowed by the legislation.

Wendy was trying to save her career today by saying that Independence was a damned fine idea (or something similar). When asked how much she liked porridge, she could only say "I'm going to scream" or something like that.