Sturgeon ‘is covering up’ complaint of bullying by minister
NICOLA Sturgeon has been accused of leading a ‘culture of secrecy and cover-up’ after she refused to confirm if bullying complaints have been made about her ministers.
The SNP leader did not reveal the outcome of an investigation into a bullying complaint about former Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing, saying it could be unlawful under data rules.
She also dodged questions about how many current or former ministers have been investigated, and what any outcomes were.
Mr Ewing, who remains a Nationalist MSP, also refused to answer questions about the investigation.
Asked by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to confirm how many investigations into bullying by cur rent or former ministers there have been and what any outcomes were, Miss Sturgeon said she is ‘not in a position to get into these issues because there are very considerable legal data protection issues that I am bound by’.
She said: ‘Governments have a duty of transparency but governments also have a duty to abide by the law on privacy and data protection.
‘A complaint, by its nature, includes personal data of both the complainer and the person complained about. This personal information can only be made available outwith the narrow confines of the complaint if there is a lawful basis within GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation] to do so – that is UK legislation.’
Mr Sarwar said: ‘The fact that Nicola Sturgeon can’t escape from is that her government and this SNP operate in a culture of secrecy and cover-up.
‘It’s not the first time we’ve heard it today: cover-up when it comes to allegations against ministers, coverups when it comes to awarding of government ferry contracts, shamefully cover-ups when it comes to the of children in hospital, and a culture that has contempt for journalists and anyone who dare ask a difficult question of this First Minister. One standard for them and another for everybody else.’
He said he was not asking for confidential details and was asking merely for the outcome of the investigations into Mr Ewing and any other current or former ministers.
Following the exchanges, Nationalist MP Joanna Cherry said: ‘Bullying is a significant issue in politics. Of course all allegations should be investigated and, if the fact there is an allegation is in the public domain, the outcome of the investigation should be made public.’
It emerged in February 2020 that Mr Ewing was being investigated following a complaint made by civil servants. It was revealed at the time that Miss Sturgeon knew about the complaint prior to handing Mr Ewing a beefed-up role in her Cabinet as Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary.
Mr Ewing rejected the allegations and refused to stand aside while the issue was dealt with.
He was axed as Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary in Miss Sturgeon’s reshuffle following the Holyrood elections last May.
It was understood at the time the Scottish Government investigation would continue and any conclusions would be passed on to Miss Sturgeon, who would then decide whether any action is required by her party.
The SNP refused to say last night whether it has taken any action.
‘SNP operate in a culture of secrecy’