SNP - Party of Bampots and Hypocrites
What a great piece by Kieran Andrews in the Times which exposes terrible hypocrisy at the top of the SNP.
The disgraced MSP Michael Matheson who John Swinney and Humza Yousaf have defended to the hilt is set to receive a £12,712 severance payment - even though Matheson's own bad behaviour forced him to resign as an SNP minister.
"In 2002, after Richard Simpson quit as deputy justice minister following allegations that he called striking firefighters 'fascists', Matheson said it was 'completely ridiculous' for such a 'golden goodbye' to be handed out. Simpson received almost £6,000."
What can you say?
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/michael-matheson-should-return-12000-golden-goodbye-zkrqq23mn
Michael Matheson ‘should return’ £12,000 golden goodbyeFormer SNP health secretary who quit over iPad bill is accused of hypocrisy after once saying the windfalls ‘send out completely the wrong message
Michael Matheson will receive a £12,712 ministerial severance pay after quitting government
- Photo ALAMY
Michael Matheson will receive a £12,712 ministerial severance pay after quitting government
- Photo ALAMY
By Kieran Andrews -The Times
Michael Matheson is under pressure to hand back the “golden goodbye” he received after quitting government over his £11,000 iPad bill, having previously railed against such parachute payments.
The former health secretary is currently suspended from Holyrood for 27 sitting days and has been docked 54 days’ pay, roughly equivalent to his data roaming bill, after MSPs enforced the toughest punishment in 25 years of devolution.
He will still receive a £12,712 ministerial severance pay for quitting government over the scandal.
• Michael Matheson banned from Holyrood and has salary docked over iPad bill
Comments that Matheson made in opposition about a former Labour minister have now come to light showing that he was opposed to such lump sums.
In 2002, after Richard Simpson quit as deputy justice minister following allegations that he called striking firefighters “fascists”, Matheson said it was “completely ridiculous” for such a “golden goodbye” to be handed out. Simpson received almost £6,000.
“These sort of cash windfalls to failed ministers send out completely the wrong message to the public and must be brought to an end immediately,” Matheson told the Daily Record at the time in comments unearthed by the Scottish Conservatives. “It appears that incompetence as a minister in this New Labour Executive is rewarded not by a sacking, but by a sackload of cash.”
John Swinney, then in his first stint as SNP leader, also suggested that anyone in any other job who was guilty of incompetence would “not receive a pay-off but you simply get your P45”.
• Split and spluttering SNP clings to notion it can’t get any worse
Swinney last week told MSPs that the SNP had concerns that the sanctions process against Matheson, the MSP for Falkirk West, had been prejudiced.
The SNP amendment argued that a Conservative MSP on Holyrood’s standards committee had spoken out publicly against Matheson and it declared the process therefore “open to bias” and at risk of bringing “the parliament into disrepute”.
Matheson eventually quit government after initially insisting that the bill related entirely to parliamentary duties before admitting his sons had used his parliamentary iPad as a wi-fi hotspot to watch football during a holiday to Morocco.
He resigned from the Scottish government in February, apologised to the parliament and paid back the bill of just under £11,000. Police confirmed on Friday that they are considering a complaint about Matheson over the expenses claim.
Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservative chairman, has urged Matheson to return his ministerial payout as the scandal of his departure continues amid calls for him to resign. “John Swinney has now discarded any principles he once held,” Hoy said. “He’s trashed his reputation and shown he can’t be trusted to keep his word. John Swinney and Michael Matheson are guilty of hypocrisy.”
Michael Matheson is under pressure to hand back the “golden goodbye” he received after quitting government over his £11,000 iPad bill, having previously railed against such parachute payments.
The former health secretary is currently suspended from Holyrood for 27 sitting days and has been docked 54 days’ pay, roughly equivalent to his data roaming bill, after MSPs enforced the toughest punishment in 25 years of devolution.
He will still receive a £12,712 ministerial severance pay for quitting government over the scandal.
• Michael Matheson banned from Holyrood and has salary docked over iPad bill
Comments that Matheson made in opposition about a former Labour minister have now come to light showing that he was opposed to such lump sums.
In 2002, after Richard Simpson quit as deputy justice minister following allegations that he called striking firefighters “fascists”, Matheson said it was “completely ridiculous” for such a “golden goodbye” to be handed out. Simpson received almost £6,000.
“These sort of cash windfalls to failed ministers send out completely the wrong message to the public and must be brought to an end immediately,” Matheson told the Daily Record at the time in comments unearthed by the Scottish Conservatives. “It appears that incompetence as a minister in this New Labour Executive is rewarded not by a sacking, but by a sackload of cash.”
John Swinney, then in his first stint as SNP leader, also suggested that anyone in any other job who was guilty of incompetence would “not receive a pay-off but you simply get your P45”.
• Split and spluttering SNP clings to notion it can’t get any worse
Swinney last week told MSPs that the SNP had concerns that the sanctions process against Matheson, the MSP for Falkirk West, had been prejudiced.
The SNP amendment argued that a Conservative MSP on Holyrood’s standards committee had spoken out publicly against Matheson and it declared the process therefore “open to bias” and at risk of bringing “the parliament into disrepute”.
Matheson eventually quit government after initially insisting that the bill related entirely to parliamentary duties before admitting his sons had used his parliamentary iPad as a wi-fi hotspot to watch football during a holiday to Morocco.
He resigned from the Scottish government in February, apologised to the parliament and paid back the bill of just under £11,000. Police confirmed on Friday that they are considering a complaint about Matheson over the expenses claim.
Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservative chairman, has urged Matheson to return his ministerial payout as the scandal of his departure continues amid calls for him to resign. “John Swinney has now discarded any principles he once held,” Hoy said. “He’s trashed his reputation and shown he can’t be trusted to keep his word. John Swinney and Michael Matheson are guilty of hypocrisy.”
