Humza Yousaf has been urged to specify what “mistakes” he believes Michael Matheson has made – given he has defended the health secretary for lying about his iPad usage.
The Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy has written to the First Minister seeking clarity on what he reckons Mr Matheson has done wrong in the wake of his “vague and contradictory take” on the row.
In the letter, he cites Humza Yousaf’s shift from referring to “honest mistakes” by the minister, to now admitting “he has made mistakes in handling this issue”.
He asks the FM:
- Was charging the taxpayer £11,000 for a bill he could not account for by his own admission a mistake?
- Was not switching his iPad sim card despite being told by the parliamentary authorities to do so a mistake?
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “Humza Yousaf is as evasive and shifty on this scandal as the man he inexplicably refuses to sack.
“At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, he repeatedly referred to Michael Matheson having made ‘mistakes’ – while at the same time excusing him for lying when he claimed the roaming charge bill had been racked up solely on parliamentary work.
“That’s arguably the most serious charge against the health secretary, yet Humza Yousaf claims the health secretary was justified in misleading the country.
“If that wasn’t a ‘mistake’ by Mr Matheson, then the First Minister must explain what he thinks was.
“At the moment, we have a vague and contradictory take from Humza Yousaf.
“This is just one of the reasons why we need a ministerial statement and debate on this topic – in addition to the Scottish Parliament probe. The lying and cover-up on this scandal doesn’t begin and end with Michael Matheson – the First Minister is fully implicated too.”