John Swinney today defended the disgraced justice secretary Angela Constance, despite her “shambolic and indefensible” evidence session to the Scottish Parliament education committee yesterday.
At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said it was blatantly obvious that the justice secretary had not corrected the record at the earliest opportunity, having misrepresented Professor Alexis Jay.
Findlay said this was a clear breach of the ministerial code, as he again urged John Swinney to sack Angela Constance.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “For months, in public and in parliament, Angela Constance denied any wrongdoing.
“But we now know that she apologised to Professor Jay on the 1st of December.
“She knew that she was wrong all along. But she tried to get away with it.
“Yesterday, a full nine weeks later, Angela Constance was forced to finally come clean.
“Angela Constance blatantly and brazenly decided not to correct the record at the earliest opportunity.
“Angela Constance should have corrected the record in September, or October, or November or December.
“She should have corrected the record when we challenged her in three Urgent Questions, two First Minister’s Questions, two Ministerial Statements, and a Vote of No Confidence.
“Three months have passed and only now is Angela Constance trying to correct the record.
“This scandal shows the very worst of the SNP. Never about doing what’s right for victims. Always about doing what’s right for the SNP. Cynical and calculating, dishonest and devious.
“Angela Constance’s evidence yesterday was shambolic and indefensible.
“The justice secretary misled the public, parliament and grooming gang victims.
“How can John Swinney pretend to himself and the public that Angela Constance has not breached the ministerial code?
“How can John Swinney continue to defend his disgraced justice secretary?
“What does it take for John Swinney to sack any of his ministers?”