Scotland's Justice Secretary, Angela Constance, has narrowly survived a vote of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament after a heated debate over claims she misrepresented expert advice on grooming gangs.
The Vote and the Accusations
The motion of no confidence was brought by Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay and was held on Tuesday 16 December 2025. It followed the publication of documents which revealed a dispute between Ms Constance and Professor Alexis Jay, the chair of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse.
Labour, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats all voted in favour of the motion. However, with the Scottish Greens refusing to back it, the motion was defeated by 67 votes to 57, with one abstention.
Controversy Over Expert's Views
The controversy centred on remarks Ms Constance made in Holyrood when facing calls for a specific inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland. She stated that Professor Jay agreed with her that such a probe was unnecessary.
However, documents showed that Professor Jay had contacted the Justice Secretary in September, urging her to clarify these statements. The expert later insisted her comments had "nothing to do" with the situation in Scotland and were taken out of context.
Mr Findlay accused Ms Constance of "misleading the public, Parliament and grooming gang victims" and argued she had neither admitted her mistake nor apologised. He stated the issue was one of "truth, respect, and simple decency" in government.
Political Defence and Fallout
First Minister John Swinney mounted a strong defence of his cabinet minister. He told MSPs he had "full confidence" in Ms Constance, describing her as a sincere minister who would never deliberately mislead Parliament.
He highlighted her work shepherding four Bills through Holyrood and her handling of complex issues like the rising prison population. "Angela Constance is getting on with the job of making Scotland safer," Mr Swinney asserted.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, however, supported the motion, stating that victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation had lost confidence in the Justice Secretary. He argued that the justice system must act with integrity and put victims first, a standard he believed had not been met in this instance.
The result means Angela Constance remains in post, but the episode has cast a spotlight on ministerial accountability and the handling of sensitive issues concerning child protection in Scotland.
