Pressure is mounting for a formal investigation into whether Scotland's Justice Secretary, Angela Constance, breached the ministerial code, despite her surviving a dramatic vote of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament.
Surviving the Vote, Facing Fresh Scrutiny
The motion of no confidence, brought by the Scottish Conservatives and backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats, was defeated by 67 votes to 57, with one abstention. First Minister John Swinney staunchly defended his cabinet colleague during the debate, stating he had "full confidence" in her.
However, the political reprieve was short-lived. Immediately after the vote, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar wrote to the three independent advisers on the Scottish Government's ministerial code, urging them to mount an investigation. He expressed concern that Ms Constance had "misled Parliament on perhaps one of the most serious issues in her brief".
The Core of the Controversy: Misrepresenting an Expert's View
The controversy centres on comments Ms Constance made regarding Professor Alexis Jay, a respected expert who chaired the UK's Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Facing calls for a specific inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland, Ms Constance told MSPs that Professor Jay shared her view that such a probe was unnecessary.
This claim unravelled when documents released last week revealed that Professor Jay had contacted the Justice Secretary in September, urging her to clarify the remarks. The expert insisted her comments had "nothing to do" with the situation in Scotland.
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay accused Ms Constance of "misleading the public, Parliament and grooming gang victims", noting she had "still not admitted her mistake" or apologised. "This is about the fundamental importance of honesty and integrity in government and in Parliament," he told Holyrood.
Opposition Demands and Government Defence
Anas Sarwar supported the no confidence motion, arguing that "victims and survivors of grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation have lost confidence in this Justice Secretary". He asserted that Ms Constance had "misrepresented Prof Jay's views in order to find an excuse not to have an inquiry", constituting a "clear and indefensible breach" of the ministerial code.
In her defence, John Swinney portrayed Ms Constance as a "sincere minister who would never address Parliament in a way that would ever mislead Parliament or the public". He highlighted her work shepherding four Bills through parliament and her handling of complex issues like the rising prison population.
The First Minister pointed to existing actions, including the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry established in 2015, as evidence that the government is addressing the concerns of abuse victims. The outcome of the requested probe by the independent advisers now remains the next critical step in this ongoing political storm.
