Summary

  • Former health secretary Michael Matheson is banned from Holyrood for 27 sitting days

  • The sanction followed recommendations of the standards committee to ban Matheson after he racked up an £11,000 bill on a parliamentary iPad while on holiday

  • The SNP did not vote for the sanction and called for a review of the complaints process, arguing it was open to bias and prejudice

  • MSPs later vote to reject calls for Michael Matheson to resign

  1. The headlines: Matheson given record Holyrood ban over iPad scandalpublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 29 May

    That brings to a close our live coverage of the two Michael Matheson debates at Holyrood this afternoon.

    Here's a reminder of the headlines:

    • MSPs have agreed to hand Michael Matheson a record ban from parliament for breaching Holyrood's expenses policy
    • The former Scottish health secretary - sanctioned over an £11,000 data bill charged to his parliamentary iPad - is to be banned from Holyrood for 27 sitting days and will have his salary withdrawn for 54 days.
    • Matheson apologised and said he accepted parliament's decision
    • The SNP did not vote for the sanctions and called for a review of the complaints process, arguing it was open to bias and prejudice
    • The punishment, recommended by the standards committee, was passed in the chamber by 64 votes in favour, with no votes against
    • The Scottish Conservatives said the SNP had attempted to derail due process
    • Scottish Labour argued the SNP was undermining the integrity of parliament
    • Attempts by the Scottish Tories to call on Michael Matheson to resign as an MSP failed due to a Scottish Greens amendment

    Read more here.

    The editor today was Paul O'Hare. The writers were Ashleigh Keenan-Bryce, Craig Hutchison, Lynsey Bews, David Wallace Lockhart and Kirsten Campbell.

  2. MSPs reject call for Michael Matheson to resignpublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 29 May
    Breaking

    MSPs vote first on Jackie Baillie's amendment for Labour on the right to recall MSPs.

    It was backed by 116 members and there were were seven abstentions.

    MSPs then agree the amendment from Patrick Harvie, with 68 MSPs backing it and 55 against.

    Finally, the motion - as amended by Labour and the Greens - is agreed to, with 68 MSPs backing it and 55 against.

    Due to the amendments it no longer calls for the resignation of Matheson.

  3. Decision timepublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 29 May

    MSPs will now vote on the Tory motion calling for Michael Matheson to resign, as well as the amendments from Labour and the Scottish Greens.

  4. Analysis

    A chink of consensus emergespublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 29 May

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    John Swinney told reporters this wasn’t part of his campaign plan, but he had to "play the ball as it lands".

    Indeed, it hasn’t been the easiest of starts in the general election for the first minister and SNP leader.

    And some have questioned the wisdom of using so much political capital to defend a friend and colleague who was in the wrong to the tune of £11,000.

    Certainly the Scottish Conservatives have seized on the issue.

    Anyone else, they say, would be handed their P45, over a situation, they claim, is cutting through on the doorsteps.

    Scottish Labour also say this has become a general election issue.

    They say John Swinney has put integrity and decency at the heart of the election campaign - but argue he’s on the wrong side of it.

    Ironically though - despite the political battles being fought in the chamber and on the election trail - there is a chink of consensus emerging.

    The parties now agree a process of recall is needed at Holyrood, similar to the one that operates in Westminster.

    That could allow constituents to effectively sack their MSP over wrongdoing.

  5. Harvie - Sanctions are a 'necessary step' to restore parliaments reputation, says Harviepublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 29 May

    As the debate concludes and closing speeches begin, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie says the one line that will stick in his mind from the debate is Douglas Ross mentioning former US President Donald Trump before accusing someone of "bully boy behaviour".

    Harvie says: "I think all of us recognise that one of Donald Trump's standard tactics is to accuse his enemy of his own worst traits."

    He says he voted for the sanction of the former health secretary because he cares about the reputation of the Scottish Parliament and Matheson's actions "damaged" it.

    As a result he said the sanction was a "necessary step" to restore Holyrood's reputation.

  6. Labour MSP disappointed FM not in chamber for debatepublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 29 May

    Sarah Boyack says it is disappointing, given the statements from John Swinney over the last few days, that the first minister is not in the chamber for the debate.

    The Labour MSP says: "Today we're holding to account a member of this parliament who attempted to use taxpayers' money for personal gain, then misled others about it, breaking the code of conduct we are all bound by."

    She tells the chamber: "It's absolutely vital that parliament demonstrates that we're all still striving to do right by the people of Scotland."

  7. Tory MSP argues Matheson should have resigned long agopublished at 17:02 British Summer Time 29 May

    Tory MSP Sue Webber
    Image caption,

    Tory MSP Sue Webber

    Sue Webber says her party has brought forward the motion calling for Michael Matheson to resign as an MSP for misusing taxpayers money and making misleading statements.

    The Tory MSP argues Matheson should have resigned long ago.

    The SNP's handling of the situation has been "appalling" and it has put the party before the people of Scotland, she says.

    Webber accuses John Swinney of ferociously attacking Tory MSP Annie Wells during FMQs.

  8. Committee acted like 'a kangaroo court'published at 16:52 British Summer Time 29 May

    Stuart McMillan, SNP MSP for Inverclyde, says when a jury is used in a court process, measures are taken to ensure it is made up of independent people with no link to the case they are about to sit on.

    He says: "Why then would this parliament allow a process where one of the committee members that had already prejudged the outcome but still remained on the committee to then vote through on their consideration?"

    McMillan says this contradiction is "highlighted" over another member recusing themselves for the same reason.

    And he cites comments from a constituent who, he says, commented: "The committee was - acting like a kangaroo court."

  9. Sanctions process exposed by debate - SNP MSPpublished at 16:44 British Summer Time 29 May

    Fulton

    Fulton MacGregor is next to his feet and is the first SNP MSP to make a contribution.

    He reminds the chamber that they are talking about a colleague, "a man with a family and someone with feelings".

    MacGregor argues the debate exposes a "sanctions process that does not retain the confidence of all political parties in this chamber".

    He adds: "We're now in the situation where the integrity of the sanctions process has been brought into question."

    This case has made it apparent that the standards committee process is "open to prejudice, bias and importantly political manipulation," he says.

  10. No Scottish government speaker in the debatepublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 29 May

    McArthur

    The reason we've not had an SNP speaker yet in this debate is that the Scottish government elected not to put one forward, confirms Deputy Convener Liam McArthur.

  11. Harvie: Matheson's actions have 'severely damaged trust'published at 16:34 British Summer Time 29 May

    Patrick Harvie says he is in "no doubt at all" Michael Matheson's actions have "severely damaged trust in our parliament and they deserve serious sanctions".

    The Scottish Greens co-leader explains that is why his party voted for the sanctions recommended by the standards committee.

    "Appropriately this is the most severe sanction the Scottish Parliament has ever passed."

    He argues the SNP should have accepted the sanctions and should have voted for the sanctions.

    Harvie says this debate now goes too far and he expresses serious concerns about the process, which he says has been partisan.

    He adds there is no way of knowing what the committee would have done had the leak not happened.

  12. The headlines: Matheson given record Holyrood ban over iPad scandalpublished at 16:31 British Summer Time 29 May

    Michael Matheson was found to have breached Holyrood's code of conductImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Michael Matheson was found to have breached Holyrood's code of conduct

    Now if you're just joining us it's been a compelling afternoon at Holyrood. Here's a reminder of the headlines:

    • MSPs have agreed to hand Michael Matheson a record ban from parliament for breaching Holyrood's expenses policy
    • The former Scottish health secretary - sanctioned over an £11,000 data bill charged to his parliamentary iPad - is to be banned from Holyrood for 27 sitting days and will have his salary withdrawn for 54 days.
    • Matheson apologised and said he accepted parliament's decision
    • The SNP did not vote for the sanction and called for a review of the complaints process, arguing it was open to bias and prejudice
    • The punishment, recommended by the standards committee, was passed in the chamber by 64 votes in favour, with no votes against

    Read more here.

  13. Matheson has 'paid a high price', says Bailliepublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 29 May

    Jackie Baillie says she "struggles" to understand how the amount of data used on Matheson's iPad was possible.

    Dame Jackie says parliamentarians receive emails giving advice on which measures to put in place ahead of travelling.

    She adds: "So nobody in this parliament can say they did not know".

    The Scottish Labour deputy leader adds Matheson has "paid a high price" with his loss of ministerial office, reputational damage and sanctions by parliament.

    She says: "Had he held his hands up, had he apologised and paid back the money straight away, it may have caused a day's uncomfortable headlines but many of us with children would have absolutely understood."

  14. Holyrood should have a recall system for MSPs - Renniepublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 29 May

    Holyrood GV

    Willie Rennie says he has been a "long time advocate" for recall of MSPs.

    He adds: "If we think the list system is undemocratic then we should change the list system."

    Rennie says to think MSPs should be free from recall because there is no by-election for the list is "missing a big opportunity for change".

    The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP cites the procedure of recall in Westminster and adds: "I am sure this parliament is capable of developing a system of equal integrity to that established in Westminster."

  15. Here's the Scottish Greens' amendmentpublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 29 May

    harvie

    It is now the turn of Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens.

    Here is his amendment to Ross' motion: leave out from “should” to end and insert "has been investigated by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), and that decisions on sanctions are a matter for Parliament on the recommendations of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

    rejects the calls for sanctions that go far beyond those recommended by the committee; believes that the Parliament requires a sanctions process that can retain confidence across all political parties

    recognises that concerns have arisen in relation to the lack of a consistent tariff of sanctions, the *potential* pre-judging of a case by an MSP who did not recuse themselves from the process

    and the leaking of draft recommendations by the committee

    and agrees, therefore, that reform of the current arrangements for considering sanctions against MSPs is urgently needed."

  16. Labour amendment to Ross motionpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 29 May

    There is no amendment from the SNP to Douglas Ross' motion for this debate.

    Labour MSP Jackie Baillie's amendment inserts at the end “and further believes that the people of Scotland should have the same right to recall MSPs as they do to recall MPs from the UK Parliament, if they are found to have behaved inappropriately by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.”

  17. Scottish Tory leader calls for Michael Matheson to resignpublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 29 May

    The motion from Douglas Ross is a simple one:

    That the Parliament believes that Michael Matheson should resign as an MSP for misusing taxpayers’ money and making misleading statements.

  18. Ross attacks government's abstention on amendmentpublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 29 May

    Following the vote, Douglas Ross says parliament has just witnessed the SNP "failing" to vote for an amended motion they drafted.

    The Scottish Tory leader says: "Just to be clear to the public out there, the wording of the motion that has just passed, with every nationalist failing to support it, was the wording the SNP government asked parliament to agree to.

    "We know independence will be line one of the SNP manifesto, it seems incompetence is going to be line two."

  19. Matheson suspended for 27 dayspublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 29 May
    Breaking

    mathesonImage source, PA

    Former health secretary Michael Matheson has been suspended from Holyrood for 27 sitting days and docked 54 days' pay after breaching the MSPs' code of conduct over an £11,000 ipad data bill.

    The Scottish Parliament's chamber voted in favour of the sanctions this afternoon.

    SNP MSPs did not support the punishment and called for the complaints process to be reviewed, arguing it was open to bias and prejudice.

    Matheson eventually admitted the data bill had been run up by his children using his work device to watch football on holiday after initially saying it had been used for constituency work.

  20. Matheson given record Holyrood ban over iPad bill rowpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 29 May
    Breaking

    Martin Whitfield's motion, as amended by the SNP, is agreed to with 64 MSPs backing it and 63 abstentions.