Investigations'R' Us
I didn't watch very much of the Channel 4 leaders' debate as it turned into another of these 'shouty affairs', but I did have a good laugh when Nicola Sturgeon demanded an independent investigation into alleged wrongdoings at Westminster.
Because the SNP have studiously avoided this kind of rigorous investigations into:
- Derek Mackay's resignation following a sexting scandal
- Harassment allegations involving involving 2 SNP MPs at Westminster (Patrick Grady and Patricia Gibson)
- Margaret Ferrier's Covid idiocy
- The malicious prosecutions over Rangers tax fraud case
- The Scottish Government's inept handling of harassment complaints which cost the taxpayer over £600,000
So by all means let's have independent investigations into allegations of misconduct or poor performance, but to be effective the scope and scale of such enquiries needs to be taken out of the hands of ministers.
Malicious But Not Criminal - How Does That Work? (05/02/21)
The Herald reports that Scotland's top law officer has found there is 'no criminal conduct' in the Rangers tax fraud case even though two victims have received £24 million in compensation for being maliciously prosecuted.
Would it be rude to ask whether Inspector Clouseau is now in charge of the Crown Office?
Public Money and Public Accountability (04/02/21)
Now I'm not a Rangers fan, but so what?
Because this latest Scottish Government scandal is not really about football - it's about good governance, public probity and the role of Scotland's Lord Advocate who is a member of Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet.
So far this malicious prosecution has cost the public purse an eye-watering £24 million with every prospect of more to follow.
Yet no one has been held to account or paid a price even though there are many other things that tens of millions of pounds could be spent on - Glasgow's outstanding equal pay bill springs to mind, for example.
