Swinney can stop MPs stepping in on Murrell probe - order his own
To suggest an inquiry into the SNP scandal would be an “unprecedented abuse” of the Westminster committee system is quite a position to take for Dave Doogan.
After finally making his position clear yesterday, the party’s Westminster leader said a Commons probe would be a “party political stunt”.
“If this inquiry goes ahead as suggested, it would be an unprecedented abuse of the House of Commons committee system – and a complete waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Well, we would point out to Mr Doogan that if Holyrood was to stage an inquiry, or First Minister John Swinney was to order an independent probe there would be no need for MPs to step in.
It is clear where the “unprecedented abuse” has happened here. It is in creating the environment in which Peter Murrell was able to embezzle £400,000 from the SNP over a period of 12 years. The unanswered questions continue to mount, but they are vitally important.
Scottish Labour is pushing for an inquiry in Edinburgh but the party’s motion is doomed to fail.
Deputy leader Jackie Baillie has called it a “matter of trust and integrity in politics and public life”, and she is right.
“The SNP should have led the way setting up this inquiry, but instead it falls to Parliament to demand the truth,” she said.
“Scotland deserves answers and I hope on Wednesday MSPs across the chamber will back transparency over cover-up by voting for Scottish Labour’s motion.”
They won’t of course, given the Greens have already indicated they will not support such a move.
And so it will fall to MPs to step in.
Far from “a complete waste of taxpayers’ money”, if Westminster has to hold an inquiry it will at least represent an attempt to get some answers.
Yes, it will be embarrassing for the SNP. But failing to hold an inquiry at all would be embarrassing for Scotland.
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