Tony O’Reilly-
Scottish First Minister John Swinney(pictured) has criticized the process leading to the recommendation that Michael Matheson be barred from Holyrood for 27 days, calling it “prejudiced.”
Swinney said the process that barred Michael Matheson be barred from Holyrood for 27 days was politicised and excessive.
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Mr Matheson was sanctioned by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on Thursday.
The decision will now go before MSPs for approval.
The Standards, Procedures, and Public Appointments Committee announced on Thursday that a majority of its members supported the suspension of the former health secretary.
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Additionally, they unanimously agreed that Mr. Matheson should lose his salary for 54 days. These sanctions will be subject to a parliamentary vote.
SPCB launched an investigation in November after Mr Matheson took the parliamentary iPad with him on a week-long visit to Morocco with his family around Christmas in 2022.
His roaming charges for the iPad – not phone calls – totalled nearly £11,000 and were initially paid for by taxpayers after Mr Matheson claimed he racked up the eye-watering invoice undertaking constituency work during the trip.
Mr. Matheson faces mounting pressure to resign as an MSP and potentially trigger a by-election, with the Scottish Conservatives planning to hold a vote next week urging him to step down.
The committee’s investigation into Mr. Matheson followed his accrual of an almost £11,000 data roaming bill on his parliamentary iPad during a family holiday in Morocco.
It was later revealed that his teenage sons used the device as a WiFi hotspot to watch football. Initially, Mr. Matheson sought to cover the bill using a combination of office costs and expenses but eventually decided to pay it himself after the issue became public.
During First Minister’s Questions, Mr. Swinney defended Mr. Matheson, describing him as a “friend” who had “made mistakes.” He cited remarks from Tory MSP Annie Wells, a committee member, to support his claim of prejudice.
“As I consider the findings from the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, I have significant concern. I believe this process has been prejudiced,” Mr. Swinney said.
Referring to comments made by Ms. Wells last year, he added: “Annie Wells said that Michael Matheson’s, and I quote, ‘desperate efforts to justify his outrageous expenses claim have been riddled with lies, cover-ups and the need for us all to suspend our disbelief.’”
Mr. Swinney also pointed out that Tory MSP Stephen Kerr resigned from the committee, citing his inability to remain objective in the Matheson case, and was replaced by Conservative Oliver Mundell.
“If a constituent came to me facing disciplinary action at work when their employer had made similar comments about them, I would come down on that employer like a tonne of bricks,” Mr. Swinney argued. “That is the situation that Michael Matheson is facing here, and that is why I will not be supporting the sanction.”
Mr. Swinney emphasized that Mr. Matheson has already “suffered significant reputational damage and impact on his family as a consequence of losing office and the difficulties that have been created here.”
He also noted that Mr. Matheson has reimbursed the data roaming costs.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross accused Mr. Matheson of “deceit and abuse of trust” and revealed that his party would push for the former minister’s resignation in a vote next week. “That is incredible and indefensible by the First Minister,” Mr. Ross said, criticizing Mr. Swinney’s support for Mr. Matheson. “He told us when asking for our support to make him First Minister, he would be First Minister for all of Scotland.
What Scotland is seeing is he’s a First Minister that backs his pals.”
Although the vote will not be legally binding, it would require every opposition party’s support to pass.
If approved, a by-election could coincide with the general election on July 4.
Committee convener Martin Whitfield highlighted the committee’s recommendations, stressing the importance of upholding the integrity of the expenses scheme and the ethical standards framework. “Mr. Matheson has described the significant impact that there has been on his family.
The committee acknowledges the impact of the significant media and other intrusions which took place on Mr. Matheson and his family,” Mr. Whitfield said.
“However, the obligations all members have under the code, the expenses scheme, and relevant SPCB (Scottish Parliament Corporate Body) policies are of paramount importance in upholding the integrity of the scheme and the ethical standards framework, flowing from the Nolan Principles, that underpin the conduct of parliamentary duties.
Any failure to meet those obligations has an adverse impact on the reputation of the expenses scheme, members, and the Parliament as a whole.”
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