Nicola stands by her man in cop crisis row
Sturgeon backs Matheson as he faces calls to quit
NICOLA Sturgeon backed her Justice Secretary yesterday as he faced calls to quit in the row over Chief Constable Phil Gormley.
Michael Matheson was accused of “leaning” on officials at the Scottish Police Authority after they decided Gormley should return to work before an investigation into alleged misconduct was concluded.
Former SPA chairman Andrew Flanagan said the Justice Secretary told him it was a “bad decision”.
As opposition parties said it was not Matheson’s place to intervene, Sturgeon said she had every faith in him.
At First Minister’s Questions, Tory leader Ruth Davidson said: “Last week, the First Minister told me that Mr Matheson did not intervene. But doesn’t the evidence of this morning make clear that, bluntly, the Justice Secretary leaned on the SPA?”
Sturgeon replied: “If Ruth Davidson is saying that the Justice Secretary should not have asked these questions, should not have acted in the way that he did, then by definition she must be saying that the Chief Constable should simply have been allowed to return to work, no matter the fact that none of these basic steps had been followed.”
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson said: “Michael Matheson has behaved inappropriately. He must consider his position.”
Gormley has been on special leave since September. He denies the allegations – which include claims of bullying – against him.