Scottish Labour has launched a fierce accusation against First Minister John Swinney, claiming he "fabricated" a quote from the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry counsel during a heated exchange about the opening of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow. The party is now demanding an immediate correction to the official parliamentary record.
Parliamentary Clash Over Hospital Opening Pressure
The controversy erupted during Thursday's First Minister's Questions session at Holyrood, where Labour leader Anas Sarwar presented what he described as documentary evidence showing "political pressure was also being felt" regarding the timing of the QEUH opening. The Glasgow hospital complex has been under intense scrutiny following multiple patient safety concerns and ongoing investigations into its construction and management.
In his response, Mr Swinney told Parliament: "The counsel to the inquiry said on the 23rd of January, in the summary, there is no evidence of external pressure on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to open the hospital early or before it was ready to be opened." He added that inquiry chairman Lord Brodie was "obviously considering all of these issues."
Labour's Formal Complaint and Allegations
Mr Sarwar has now escalated the matter through a formal letter to the First Minister, accusing him of deliberately misleading the Scottish Parliament. The Labour leader's correspondence states unequivocally: "You then falsely claimed that these words were those of the counsel to the inquiry. They were not. That quote does not exist. It was invented."
The letter continues with serious allegations: "In doing so, you did not misinterpret the evidence. You fabricated it. You pre-empted the conclusions of an independent public inquiry and placed misinformation on the official record of Parliament. You have misled Parliament and you have lied to the people of Scotland."
Swinney's Response and Inquiry Context
Ahead of receiving Labour's formal complaint, Mr Swinney addressed the QEUH matter during a Friday media briefing. He told the Press Association: "I set out my position in Parliament yesterday on all of these questions. Obviously Lord Brodie is now working to conclude the inquiry that we established."
The First Minister emphasised the importance of allowing the inquiry process to reach its own conclusions, stating: "I think it's really important that we hear from Lord Brodie, that he has the opportunity to reflect on all of the evidence which the Scottish Government and many other interested parties have provided, and come to his own conclusions."
Background of the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry
The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, chaired by Lord Brodie, has been examining the construction and management of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus alongside the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh. The investigation was established to address widespread concerns about patient safety, infection control, and the overall delivery of these major NHS infrastructure projects.
Political pressure surrounding hospital openings has become a particularly sensitive aspect of the inquiry, with opposition parties consistently questioning whether timetable considerations might have compromised patient safety protocols. The QEUH has experienced multiple serious incidents since its opening, including infection-related deaths that have prompted significant public concern and political scrutiny.
The Scottish Government has been approached for additional commentary regarding Labour's allegations and the specific claims about fabricated quotes. This developing situation represents another contentious chapter in the ongoing political debate surrounding healthcare governance and accountability in Scotland's devolved administration.
