Motion to censure Brown over Chinese shambles to be tabled
MSPs will today be urged to censure SNP Economy Secretary Keith Brown for failing to check out a touted £10 billion Chinese investment package that proved a mirage.
Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie will table the censure motion on the first anniversary of Nicola Sturgeon signing a now infamous deal with two controversial Chinese firms.
The First Minister signed a memorandum of understanding with SinoFortone and the state-backed Chinese Railway No3 Engineering Group (CR3). SinoFortone suggested it was looking to bring up to £10bn of investment to Scotland in housing, energy and other infrastructure.
However the deal was dogged by controversy over CR3’s human rights record, while SinoFortone’s promised investment across the UK never materialised.
In August, the Scottish Government finally pulled out of the deal, which had become known in China as “the Scottish shambles”.
Mr Rennie said SNP minis- ters had failed to carry out due diligence on the firms.
After the signing, it emerged Norway’s sovereign wealth fund had blacklisted CRG3’s parent company over corruption concerns, and Amnesty International said it was “seriously concerned” over the state company’s human rights record in Africa.
SinoFortone’s only tangible investment in the UK was a Cotswolds pub.
Businessman Sir Richard Heygate, who helped front the deal to the Scottish Government, later admitted SinoFortone’s much-hyped promises had proven to be “all b ****** s”.
Mr Rennie said: “It has been a year since the First Minister signed a deal with SinoFortone and CR3. The connections to human rights abuses is something that should have been identified before pen was the put to paper.
“Recently the front man behind the deal revealed the company he was representing had no capital strength behind it. Essentially this SNP Government was duped by men with sharp suits and a knighthood. Through the SNP’s action, the reputation for Scotland as an ethical place to do business has been damaged.
“The reputation of Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown is in tatters. He should issue an apology and be censured.”
A spokesman for Mr Brown said: “At no point did the Scottish Government enterintoanylegalorfinancial commitments with SinoFortone and no agreements have been reached on any investment.”