Bộ trưởng Matheson bị tố mắc lỗi về hóa đơn iPad 11.000 bảng và sẽ bị đuổi ra khỏi quốc hội khi Đảng Greens đã xác nhận họ sẽ bỏ phiếu ủng hộ các biện pháp trừng phạt. Nếu không có sự ủng hộ của họ, hầu như chắc chắn rằng cựu bộ trưởng y tế sẽ phải nộp lại thẻ bảo mật trong khi anh ta phải chịu án tạm cấm tại Holyrood. Đại biểu quốc dân sẽ bị treo chức vụ hơn năm tuần và bị cắt lương trong 54 ngày nếu anh ấy thua phiếu bỏ phiếu về hành động trừng phạt. Anh cũng phải đối mặt với một đề xuất của Đảng Bảo thủ ngày mai yêu cầu anh từ chức sau khi được phát hiện đã lừa dối công chúng và các Đại biểu quốc hội về cách anh ta đã tạo ra hóa đơn tốn kém cho việc dữ liệu lưu roaming và sau đó không đủ lòng trung kiên khi anh ta bị vạch trần. #sựkiệnngày28/05
- Humiliation for Swinney as Greens back Matheson suspension
Shamed Michael Matheson faces being kicked out of parliament over his £11,000 iPad data bill after the Greens yesterday confirmed they will vote in favour of sanctions.
Without their support, it is almost certain that the former health secretary will be made to hand in his security pass while he serves a temporary ban from Holyrood.
The Nationalist MSP will be suspended for more than five weeks and have his wages docked for 54 days if he loses a vote against the punitive action.
He also faces a Conservative motion tomorrow calling for him to resign after he was found to have misled the public and MSPs about how he had racked up the massive data roaming bill and then illegitimately charged the taxpayer.
Mr Ross, right, joins Conservative campaigners at The Kelpies yesterday
It comes as John Swinney yesterday acknowledged his ‘friend and colleague’ should be penalised, but said he would not accept the current tough penalty. The First Minister insisted members of the standards committee had ‘prejudged’ Mr Matheson’s guilt and that the process was flawed.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Mr Swinney had ‘staked his reputation’ on defending his friend.
He added: ‘By refusing to remove the SNP whip from Michael Matheson, refusing to back a cross-party committee’s sanctions and by suggesting his disgraced pal is the real victim, John Swinney has debased the office of First Minister.
‘He has shown that he will always put party before country – by displaying overt favouritism towards his SNP colleague.
‘His shameful stance has even angered many in his own party who can’t believe that he’s defending the indefensible. They know the public believe Michael Matheson should lose his job and that their leader is desperately out of touch.
‘It’s pathetic that he can’t even say what he does consider to be an appropriate punishment for someone who billed the taxpayer for roaming charges racked up on a family holiday and then repeatedly lied when he was rumbled.’
Speaking at The Kelpies sculptures in the heart of Mr Matheson’s constituency, Mr Ross said he should step down from his job before he is pushed.
The Greens said they would not back the Conservative motion calling for Mr Matheson to resign.
It follows a recent poll that found 65 per cent of Scots think Mr Matheson should quit as an MSP.
Mr Ross added: ‘The Scottish Conservatives are bringing forward a vote this week urging Michael Matheson to resign so we can have a by-election here in Falkirk West on the same day as the General Election.’
The Conservatives are leading a motion to have Matheson resign
The Scottish Greens have questioned how the level of sanctions is reached by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.
Confirming the party would not back the Conservative motion, a party spokesman said: ‘Michael Matheson made a mistake for which he has already been punished, but it is the view of the Green group of MSPs that it is correct that he receives further parliamentary sanction, and we will vote for such action.’
As he campaigned in Dumfries yesterday, Mr Swinney’s election push was dominated by questions about the iPad scandal and his defence of his party colleague.
Mr Swinney admitted that Mr Matheson ‘needs’ to face sanctions, but said he will not back down from his stance against the current recommendations.
He accused Conservative MSP Annie Wells, a member of the standards committee, of having shown prejudice towards Mr Matheson when she accused him of using ‘lies, cover-ups and the need for us all to suspend our disbelief’ to justify his expenses claim.
Mr Swinney said: ‘I made clear last week that Michael Matheson had made mistakes and there needs to be a sanction approved by parliament.
‘Let’s be very clear by saying the process that has been undertaken has been prejudiced.
‘And it’s been prejudiced by the fact that the Conservative MSP has made comments about this case and has not recused themself from deciding that. Another Conservative MSP, Steven Kerr made comments and recused himself.
‘So the precedent has been set, that you shouldn’t make comments about a case and then participate in its deliberations.
‘This is why I cannot support the sanction. It’s because I think the process is prejudiced.’
He added: ‘I’ve voted for every sanction that’s been brought forward by the standards committee over time because I think that you delegate these things to members of parliament to do it properly. It’s not been done properly.
‘There’s a flaw in the process.’
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