A stark demonstration of the Scottish Parliament's perceived impotence unfolded this week, centring on allegations that the Scottish Government misled the public and Holyrood itself over calls for a crucial public inquiry.
Misrepresentation and a Blocked Inquiry
At the heart of the controversy is Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and his persistent campaign for a fully independent, public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Scotland. For some time, the SNP government has resisted these calls.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance had previously cited opposition from renowned child protection expert Professor Alexis Jay as a reason not to hold such an inquiry. However, Findlay revealed a critical flaw in this defence: Professor Jay did not say she opposed an inquiry. In fact, she has insisted on a national inquiry and is now set to head a review for the Scottish Government—a move critics say falls far short of the robust, public examination needed.
During a heated session, Findlay charged that Constance had ‘misrepresented Professor Jay’, ‘misled the parliament’ and ‘misled the public’. Such an accusation was once considered grave, carrying severe consequences for ministers. Yet, the response from the top was dismissive.
First Minister John Swinney stated he was ‘satisfied with the way in which these matters have been conducted’, effectively closing the case. With rules stipulating that only the First Minister can refer a suspected breach to independent advisers, no referral means no investigation. The government now stands accused of blocking both an inquiry into grooming gangs and an inquiry into its claims about that inquiry.
A Parliament Without Accountability?
The irony of an ‘accountability-free state’ being governed by an ‘accountability-free parliament’ will not be lost on survivors, Findlay argued. This sentiment was echoed by the mother of a victim, a girl named Taylor who was gang-raped while in care. She told Findlay there was ‘no substance to anything that Angela Constance says’ and that the Justice Secretary ‘cannot oversee anything’.
Observers noted symbolic details: it was Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, not Constance, who made the ministerial statement on the government's review. Furthermore, during First Minister's Questions, Constance was seen positioned on the fringes of the government benches—a metaphor some found all too clear.
NHS Row and Opposition Attacks
The session also saw fierce clashes over the NHS, prompted by a critical report from Audit Scotland. Labour leader Anas Sarwar launched a hyperbolic attack, claiming Swinney was ‘doing what even Margaret Thatcher failed to do, which is to privatise healthcare in Scotland’.
John Swinney batted away the criticism, leading Sarwar to sarcastically suggest the First Minister needed ‘some time off and a wee rest’. The debate then turned to housing, with Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie blaming UK Government asylum policy for exacerbating Glasgow's crisis—a claim that overlooks the role of local political elites in designating the city as a dispersal area.
The day's proceedings left a clear impression: on issues from child protection to healthcare, the Scottish Parliament is embroiled in bitter political combat, while serious allegations of ministerial misconduct appear to be met with a wall of official silence.
