More Civilised Public Discourse

Nicola Sturgeon agreed with other party leaders in demanding a more 'civilised public discourse' during last night's debate.

Yet Nicola thinks it's fine for her justice minister to slag off fellow MSPs during working hours so long as he uses a personal Twitter account.

Scottish Ministers and Social Media (30/03/21)

I finally received a reply to my complaint about the Scottish Government's justice minister, Humza Yousaf.

Here's what Nicola Sturgeon's private secretary (Nicola Dove) had to say after waiting since patiently for an answer since 4 March 2021:

Dear Mr Irvine

Thank you for your emails dated 4 March to the First Minister regarding Mr Yousaf's use of social media.

The Tweets were issued from Mr Yousaf's private account and not from an official Government account. The contents of private accounts and or other non-government accounts are not the responsibility of the Scottish Government.

Yours sincerely

Nicola Dove

Private Secretary

Now I think it is unarguable that Mr Yousaf has broken the ministerial code with his juvenile behaviour and I do not accept for a minute that the justice minister is entitled to behave like an idiot, as long as he behaves like an idiot from a personal Twitter account.

In my original complaint I pointed out to the First Minister:

that Mr Yousaf promotes his personal account by referring to himself as Scotland's Justice Minister

that Mr Yousaf was issuing his derogatory Tweets during normal working hours - not in his own time

that Mr Yousaf was using a Government issued phone or mobile device to attack fellow MSPs during the Holyrood Inquiry

So I have asked the Scottish Government to explain the procedure under which my complaint was investigated and considered because the response I received today is a joke.

NB - email to Nicola Sturgeon dated 4 March 2021.

Dear First Minister

Scottish Government Justice Secretary - Humza Yousaf

I refer to my earlier letter regarding the social media comments of the Justice Secretary, Humza Yousaf.

I recognise these messages are from a personal Twitter account, but you should also be aware that Mr Yousaf promotes this account by describing himself as:

"Scotland's Justice Minister and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Pollok."

I do not, therefore, accept that this is a purely personal matter and given the nature of the comments I am sure you appreciate the fact that Ministers have a duty to conduct themselves properly at all times, including in their private lives.

I would also like to add that Humza Yousaf's comments were made during normal working hours when it would be reasonable to expect Scotland's Justice Secretary to be doing his day job instead of behaving immaturely and attacking fellow MSPs on social media.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine

Knicker Elastic and Scotland's Ministerial Code (24/03/21)

When I finally get a response to my complaint about Humza Yousaf's behaviour on social media I expect to hear that Scotland's ministerial code is so flexible and 'one size fits all' it must made out of some kind of knicker elastic.

Now the wording of the code is clear and presses all the right buttons - 'professional', 'consideration', 'respect', 'proper' and 'appropriate' (see extract below).

So you would think that Scotland's justice minister on a salary package of £100,000 a year would have more important things to do with his valuable time than behave like a juvenile troll on social media during the normal working day.

I remain optimistic that the First Minister will give Mr Yousaf a well deserved boot up his backside, but you never know because the Scottish Government has not been setting the bar too high of late when it comes to leading by example.

"Ministerial Conduct

"1.2. Ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect. Working relationships, including with civil servants, Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues and Parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate. Harassing, bullying or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour, wherever it takes place, is not consistent with the Ministerial Code and will not be tolerated."

Scottish Ministers and Social Media (21/03/21)

I complained to Nicola Sturgeon, over two weeks, ago about the irresponsible behaviour of her justice minister on social media.

Instead of focusing on his day job Humza Yousaf was busy attacking fellow MSPs on the Holyrood Inquiry - in what seems to me to be a clear breach of the Ministerial Code.

Ministerial Conduct

1.2. Ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect. Working relationships, including with civil servants, Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues and Parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate. Harassing, bullying or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour, wherever it takes place, is not consistent with the Ministerial Code and will not be tolerated.

Yet having raised a serious issue about what extra curricular activities Scottish Ministers get up to on social media during normal working hours - I am still waiting on a response to my complaint from the First Minister.

ScotGov, Humza and Nicola (12/03/21)

My complaint about Humza Yousaf breaking the ministerial code with his idiotic behaviour on social media was registered with the Scottish Government a week ago today.

I've received an acknowledgment from the First Minister's office but not, as yet, a substantive reply.

ScotGov, Humza and Nicola (08/03/21)

I heard from a friend of mine over the weekend who works as a civil servant in the Scottish Government.

Apparently, I can expect my complaint about Humza Yousaf to be blown off because the standard response to objections of this kind is that this involves a personal Twitter account.

In other words Humza's idiotic behaviour nothing to do with the Scottish Government.

If so, I'll be astonished because Humza Yousaf promotes his profile on Twitter by drawing attention to his role as Scotland's Justice Minister.

Not only that because Humza's attack on fellow MSPs was done during normal working hours (ie his employer's time) and presumably it is very easy to check if he used a mobile phone, or some other device, provided for him to use while at work by the Scottish Government.

So I remain optimistic until I'm proved wrong - and let's hope I hear something soon.

In the meantime, I plan to share this post with the various MSPs involved.

Total Lack Of Respect, Humza (3) (06/03/21)

In my view it's crystal clear Humza Yousaf broke the Ministerial Code with his crass behaviour on social media.

But politicians do have a tendency to close ranks around each other and in case anyone might be tempted to fob me off with the lame excuse that this was personal or private SNP business, I decided to reinforce my complaint to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

I do hope to receive a candid response because I there is no doubt that this kind of partisan, unprofessional and very disappointing behaviour brings the Scottish Government into disrepute.

Dear First Minister

Scottish Government Justice Secretary - Humza Yousaf

I refer to my earlier letter regarding the social media comments of the Justice Secretary, Humza Yousaf.

I recognise these messages are from a personal Twitter account, but you should also be aware that Mr Yousaf promotes this account by describing himself as:

"Scotland's Justice Minister and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Pollok."

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine

Total Lack of Respect, Humza! (2) (04/03/21)

Dear First Minister

Scottish Government Justice Secretary - Humza Yousaf

I wish to make a formal complaint about the Scottish Government's Justice Secretary, Humza Yousaf, who spent a lot of his time yesterday attacking fellow MSPs on Twitter while they were questioning witnesses giving crucial evidence to the Holyrood Inquiry.

In my view Mr Yousaf's behaviour represents a total lack of respect towards the Scottish Parliament as well as a flagrant breach of the Ministerial Code, an extract of which is reproduced below for easy reference.

Ministerial Conduct

Given the short time before the Scottish Parliament is suspended for the forthcoming election, can you assure me that this matter will receive your government's urgent attention?

I am happy to discuss my complaint further if you decide to refer this matter to the independent advisers on the Ministerial Code and can be contacted on the following mobile phone number - 07XXX XXXXXX.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine

Total Lack of Respect, Humza! (1) (04/03/21)

Humza Yousaf is paid an extra £48,449 a year to act as Scotland's justice secretary taking his total salary to £112,919.

Yesterday Humza spent lots of time publicly attacking fellow MSPs on Twitter as they questioned witnesses giving crucial evidence to the Holyrood Inquiry.

So why are we paying this man to behave in such an idiotic way from the public purse?

And how is the Scottish Government going to deal with such a blatant show of stupidity and disrespect to the Scottish Parliament.

The blurring of lines between what is legitimate government business and what is patently not has got the SNP into a terrible mess of late.

But the justice secretary Humza Yousaf seems not to have got the memo.

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Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser