Ex-SPA chief Flanagan to face MSPs
THE former boss of Scotland’s police watchdog will face a Holyrood grilling over his decision to reinstate suspended Chief Constable Phil Gormley.
Andrew Flanagan quit the Scottish Police Authority last month but is embroiled in a damaging row with Justice Secretary Michael Matheson.
MSPs on the public audit committee now want to hear Flanagan’s side of the story after Matheson stepped in to stop Gormley returning to work during a misconduct probe.
Matheson said Flanagan agreed Gormley could start without first telling him or Gormley’s stand-in.
Matheson said he had no choice but to step in – but Gormley’s lawyers said there was no legal basis for the Justice Secretary to interfere.
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “Police Scotland and the SPA were meant to be the most transparent and accountable public bodies ever set up in Scotland.
“That’s proved to be anything but the case.
“There are some very serious questions to be asked and the public will be eager to hear the answers.”