Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance faces an investigation by independent ministerial code advisers after being accused of misleading parliament. The advisers themselves initiated the probe, significantly escalating the row over her comments about grooming gangs in Scotland.
The investigation centres on allegations that Constance misrepresented remarks by Professor Alexis Jay during a September Holyrood debate. Constance had claimed the expert agreed a grooming gangs inquiry was unnecessary for Scotland. However, Jay later clarified her comments were "nothing to do" with the Scottish situation.
The three-member advisory team notified First Minister John Swinney of their intent to investigate. The Scottish Government announced that the investigation's outcome "will be published in a timely manner after the case has been decided by the First Minister".
Constance survived a no-confidence vote last week with 67 MSPs voting against the motion, 57 in favour, and one abstention. She has issued a "personal and direct apology" to Professor Jay and pledged to amend the official parliamentary record.
Political Divide
The case has exposed sharp divisions at Holyrood. Swinney defended his Justice Secretary at First Minister's Questions last Thursday, stating: "Having looked at the issue and looked at all of the material, I am content there has been no breach of the ministerial code."
He insisted Constance was trying to "address the concerns that have been set out and do that in a comprehensive and open way".
Opposition leaders rejected this assessment. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called it a "clear and indefensible breach of the ministerial code". Conservative counterpart Russell Findlay questioned why Swinney continued to support his "disgraced Justice Secretary".
The investigation represents a notable development as the advisers chose to act independently rather than waiting for a referral from the First Minister. The timing and outcome of their findings remain uncertain.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
