Starmer backs recall petitions for Holyrood amid Matheson expenses scandal

The Labour leader compared SNP leader John Swinney to former Tory leader Boris Johnson for his handling of the affair.

Michael Matheson has been sanctioned after running up an £11,000 bill on his parliamentary iPad (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer has accused John Swinney of “picking up the Boris Johnson playbook” in his defence of former heath secretary Michael Matheson.

The Labour leader told journalists in Greenock he supported a recall petition being introduced in Scotland which would potentially give constituents the chance to remove rule-breaking MSPs from office.

The Scottish First Minister had previously signalled his support for the Westminster-style right to recall an elected representative.

But Mr Swinney has spoken of his concerns that the sanction process, which saw Mr Matheson banned from Holyrood from 27 days for racking up a near £11,000 iPad roaming bill, was prejudiced.

The former health secretary resigned from government in February, apologised to Parliament and paid back the bill, which was initially charged to his parliamentary device.

He confessed the bill had been accumulated when his teenage sons used the device as a hotspot to stream football while on a family holiday in Morocco.

Speaking at his party’s General Election event at the Beacon Arts Centre, Sir Keir compared Mr Swinney to former prime minister Boris Johnson and said the “parallels with the Tories and the SNP are very striking now” as he backed a recall petition.

He said: “You’ve got chaos and division, both in Westminster and with the SNP. You’ve got unelected leader after unelected leader in Westminster and with the SNP. And now on standards in public life, you’ve got the SNP picking up the Boris Johnson playbook.

“I mean, that’s how striking the examples are. So, of course, as Anas (Sarwar) says, there should be a recall petition. It’s worked well in our Parliament, and we’ve had a number of by-elections which we’ve very much enjoyed.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the SNP handling of the scandal had been “nothing short of shameful”.

He said: “Rather than coming to Parliament and apologising for that behaviour and demanding that Michael Matheson step down, or at least introduce that petition of recall, John Swinney instead chose to back one of his pals rather than do the right thing.

“It’s the perfect example of what we attack – rightly – the Tories for, for putting their party before the country, the exact same applies to John Swinney.

“We absolutely need a right to recall in Holyrood.”

Speaking during a campaign event in Glasgow, the First Minister would not be drawn on Mr Matheson.

He said: “Parliament has taken its decisions about Michael Matheson, I made clear at First Minister’s Questions yesterday that I accept the conclusions of Parliament and that’s where the matter should end,” he said.

Meanwhile, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has shown Mr Swinney “the red card” over his handling of the situation.

So, of course, as Anas says, there should be a recall petition

Sir Keir Starmer

He has written to the SNP leader claiming it is “inconceivable” that Mr Matheson could be banned from Parliament but still remain a party member.

Mr Ross said: ”John Swinney deserves a straight red card for his handling of the Michael Matheson scandal.

“Within a month of becoming First Minister, he has proved he’s just another divisive SNP figure – like every other nationalist leader before him.”

He added: “I’m asking for voters who want action on their top priorities to help the Scottish Conservatives give SNP candidates the sending off they deserve.”

Mr Swinney told journalists earlier this week that he was in “support” of the idea of a recall process, stating the current system was ‘inadequate’.

But he said Mr Matheson “made a mistake and had been given a punishment by Parliament which I accept unreservedly.”

However, the SNP said the process by Holyrood’s Standard’s Committee, which suggested the Holyrood ban, was “flawed” after Tory MSP Annie Wells – a committee member – made public comments on Mr Matheson ahead of the decision.