Jack McConnell

Jack McConnell has dismissed claims that he misled the Holyrood parliament over the details of his constituency office expenses controversy.

Attempting to brush off allegations that he had not been truthful, the first minister went for full disclosure over claims that he did not act on claims of financial wrongdoing in his own parliamentary constituency party.

"First of all there are no public funds involved in this issue," he said.

"Secondly the Labour Party has said crystal clear that, one, it will have an inquiry, two, it will publish the outcome, and three it will take advice on that inquiry not just from the Electoral Commission, not just from the external auditors but from the police as well."

McConnell insisted that MSPs "should welcome, not criticise" the transparency of his approach.

But SNP leader John Swinney claimed that the first minister "had just confirmed that he had misled parliament three weeks ago" and demanded that he apologise to MSPs.

"When I asked the first minister to tell us exactly what he knew, he misled parliament," said Swinney.

"The first minister knew about these financial irregularities long before he admitted it in parliament, that he misled parliament, that he leads a party that has broken the law around the country."

Swinney also demanded to know whether the first minister had any response to a Sunday Times report which alleged his submission to the register of MSPs' interests "was in their words false".

"What action has he taken legal or otherwise to refute that serious newspaper allegation," said Swinney.

Dismissing the claims, the first minister said: "The entries in my register of interest are correct with the advice I was given at that time."

McConnell said he was willing to "exceed the requirement of this parliament and ensure there is more on my register than needs to be because I am interested in transparency and openness".

"It is simply not good enough to go down the side of smear and innuendo week after week after week," he said.

"Regardless of those smears and innuendo I will not be deflected from concentrating on jobs and education and health on growth in our economy and excellence in our public services."