A businessman has branded concerns raised about a land reform deal where the Scottish Government lost almost £800,000 as “unfounded”.
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont questioned First Minister Alex Salmond over a deal which saw land in Paisley bought from John McGlynn for £840,000 in 2008, but sold back to him for £50,000 earlier this year.
Ms Lamont asked Mr Salmond to justify the transaction when she raised the issue at Holyrood.
The First Minister said ministers had no role in land transactions and a spokesman later said the original deal to buy the land was brokered by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
Mr McGlynn, chairman and founder of Airlink Group, used a TV interview to say he had bought back the land at public auction.
The transaction was done in connection with the planned Glasgow Airport Rail Link, which was scrapped in 2009 by the Scottish Government.
Mr McGlynn said he was “extremely concerned about the unfounded statements” made by Ms Lamont but added he would happily discuss the issue with her over coffee.
He added: “I think people seem to forget a public auction means anyone at all can attend a public auction.
“Council leaders can attend, their property departments can attend and anyone who has any interest in buying this land was free to attend the public auction at SVA. Huge signs were up, advertising that this site was for sale.
“I was abroad at the time when the auction took place and one of our lawyers attended the auction very privately, no one knew he or she was there, and the land didn’t sell.
“At the end of the auction they approached the auctioneer to ask what the reserve was and what the desired price was and we paid the price.”
During First Minister’s Questions, Ms Lamont described Mr McGlynn as a former Conservative donor who had subsequently “been on something of a political journey”.
She said: “Now he supports the Yes campaign. Since then he’s been appointed to the Scottish Government National Economic Forum.
“And since then, he has bought back the land from the Scottish Government for just £50,000 and made a profit of £790,000.”
Ms Lamont asked: “Is there some connection here, or has Mr McGlynn just benefited from the First Minister’s gross incompetence with public funds?”
Mr Salmond accused the Labour leader of peddling unfounded smears.
He said: “Ministers are not involved in property transactions with regard to transport projects or anything else.
“If Johann Lamont has any evidence whatsoever that anything untoward has been happening in property transactions, then let her bring it to the chamber or bring it into the public notice.
“If she has no evidence and she has no evidence whatsoever then don’t make attacks on people in Scotland with no reason whatsoever for making them and come to this chamber and attack people who can’t answer back in the chamber.”