Labor slams ‘Sleazy National Party’ for listing ‘low points’ of past five years in power
The SNP has been embroiled in scandal for decades and must be removed from power in the interests of the country, the Scottish Labor Party has said.
Cover-up and secrecy have become the hallmarks of the ‘Sleazy National Party’, the party claimed.
A Scottish Labor list of ‘low points of the horrific, scandal-hit SNP government’ since the last Holyrood election in 2021 included:
■ The long-running police investigation into the SNP’s finances, which led to ex-chief executive Peter Murrell being accused of embezzlement;
■ Former Health Secretary Michael Matheson quits after trying to charge taxpayers £11,000 for iPad roaming charges while on holiday;
■ Jordan Linden, former chief executive of North Lanarkshire Council, convicted of 10 charges against boys and young men, including sexual assault, stalking and sexual communication;
■ The deaths of two children at the failed Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow due to a contaminated water system;
■ Health Minister Neil Gray takes official limousines to matches in Aberdeen.
Dame Jackie Baillie attacked the SNP over the number of scandals they had presided over
Scottish Labor Party deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “The SNP has been mired in shame and scandal for decades.
“In the past five years alone we have seen them cover up their sexual vermin, lie to the families of those killed at the QEUH and recklessly waste taxpayers’ roaming money on limousines and iPad roaming charges.
‘This is not just a one-off. It is a pattern of lies, deceit and cover-up that has become the hallmark of the SNP in power.
‘All John Swinney and the SNP care about is staying in power. The truth is that they are not fit for office and they do not deserve another five years in government.”
An SNP spokesman said: ‘Labour defended [former MSP] Pam Duncan-Glancy’s friendship with a pedophile weeks before she started acting saw no problem with Anas Sarwar bragging about his ‘old friend’ Peter Mandelson, despite his links to the world’s most notorious pedophile, and saw one of their MSP Colin Smyth arrested on suspicion of heinous crimes.’