SNP MSP Michael Matheson faces suspension from Scottish parliament over £11,000 iPad bill
MSP Michael Matheson is to be suspended from Holyrood for 27 sitting days and lose his salary for 54 days over his £11,000 iPad data roaming bill.
Mr Matheson was sanctioned by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on Thursday.
The decision will now go before MSPs for approval.
It comes after the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) concluded in March that he had breached the MSP code of conduct.
The Falkirk West SNP MSP stood down as Scotland’s health secretary in February, citing the SPCB investigation as the reason.
Mr Matheson at Holyrood last week. Pic: PA
A ban of 10 days or more would be enough to trigger a recall petition in Westminster, however the Scottish parliament has no such mechanism.
Labour MSP Martin Whitfield, the committee convener, said the sanctions reflected the seriousness of the breach.
He said: “Had it not been for mitigatory factors, including the impact on the member and his family, the sanctions proposed would likely have been greater.”
The committee was unanimous in recommending the withdrawal of salary for 54 days.
The suspension of 27 sitting days was recommended by committee member MSP Annie Wells and supported by Conservative colleague Oliver Mundell.
SNP members Jackie Dunbar and Alasdair Allan disagreed, with the deciding vote made by convener Mr Whitfield.
Mr Whitfield said: “I did not cast my vote on a personal view. But in my capacity as convenor, I recognise that the committee would otherwise not have been in a position to make a recommendation.
“I supported the proposal for an exclusion of a period of 27 sitting days.”
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November 2023: Mr Matheson’s sons racked up the £11,000 iPad bill
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SPCB launched an investigation in November after Mr Matheson took the parliamentary iPad with him on a week-long visit to Morocco with his family around Christmas in 2022.
His roaming charges for the iPad – not phone calls – totalled nearly £11,000 and were initially paid for by taxpayers after Mr Matheson claimed he racked up the eye-watering invoice undertaking constituency work during the trip.
Mr Matheson – who as Scotland’s cabinet secretary for NHS recovery, health and social care had an annual salary of £118,511 – later agreed to pay the money back to the Scottish parliament.
After the story hit the headlines, it then emerged his teenage sons had used the iPad as a hotspot to watch football while on the family vacation.
Mr Matheson was the net zero, energy and transport secretary in Nicola Sturgeon’s government at the time of the incident.
Mr Matheson, who was appointed health secretary last March when Humza Yousaf became first minister, told Holyrood he was unaware his sons had used the iPad as a hotspot when he initially submitted the bill.
He claimed he was told the truth by his wife after the story sparked a public outcry.
Following his wife’s admission, Mr Matheson initially failed to publicly mention his sons’ involvement. Instead, he continued to insist the iPad was only used for parliamentary work and blamed an outdated SIM card for the excessive bill.
When questioned by journalists days after he knew the truth, he continued to deny the iPad was used for personal use until he made a statement to Holyrood.
Mr Matheson tendered his resignation as health secretary before officially receiving the findings of SPCB’s review.
He said it was in the “best interest” of himself and the Scottish government to step down to ensure it “does not become a distraction to taking forward the government’s agenda”.
In response, then first minister Mr Yousaf said he accepted Mr Matheson’s resignation “with sadness”.
The sanctions are expected to fuel calls for Mr Matheson to resign as an MSP.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “This damning ruling is yet another sorry chapter for an SNP government collapsing under the weight of its own sleaze.
“Michael Matheson has treated the public with contempt and the upper echelons of the SNP closed ranks to try and protect him, putting the party interest before the national interest.
“It cannot be right that an MSP can ride roughshod over the rules without the public getting a chance to boot them out – Scottish Labour would introduce a right to recall as part of our plans to clean up Holyrood.”
Mr Matheson has been contacted for comment.
UK
‘Picture being painted of Jay Slater is just not true’, says employer of British teen missing in Tenerife
The construction company that employs missing British teenager Jay Slater has said the “picture being painted of him is just not true”.
Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle near Blackburn in Lancashire, has been missing in Tenerife since Monday morning.
Since he went missing, rumours and conspiracy theories about his disappearance have circulated online, with social media users speculating on platforms including TikTok and Facebook.
But on Sunday, PH Build, which employs Mr Slater as an apprentice bricklayer said the teenager has been misrepresented online.
The firm wrote on Facebook: “Our Jay is still missing!
“We have decided to remove our last post due to all the negative comments and conspiracy theories.
“Jay has been with us since he left school and is liked by all. He’s a valued member of our team and we stand by him.
“The picture being painted of him is just not true. The fact is he’s a 19-year-old lad missing in a foreign country. He needs to be back home where he belongs. Come on Jay we are all praying for you.”
Jay Slater and his mother Debbie Duncan. Pic: Lucy Law
The 19-year-old’s family have flown to the Spanish island to join police and a team of mountain rescuers in the search for him.
A GoFundMe appeal to raise money for the search has been set up by Mr Slater’s friend and has already passed £30,000.
At the weekend his mother Debbie Duncan thanked those who had donated, before adding: “We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves.”
Search area narrowed down
On Sunday officers searching for Mr Slater could be seen circling two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park – where his phone last pinged before it ran out of battery.
Efforts appeared to be solely focused on one area after days of searches in the northwestern mountain village of Masca and the surrounding landscape.
Those conducting the searches on the seventh day of the hunt for Mr Slater could be seen looking into blue barrels outside one of the small buildings.
Read more:
Last movements of British teen missing in Tenerife
Focus grows on ‘highly unusual details’
Friends describe Slater as ‘life of the party’
Mr Slater attended the NRG festival in the south of Tenerife on Sunday 16 June before going to Masca with two people he met at the event.
His friends he had been holidaying with have not seen him since last Sunday night, but on Monday morning he spoke to one of them on the phone and told her he was lost, in need of water, and only had 1% charge on his phone.
During the short phone call, he told his friend Lucy Law he had missed a bus trying to get back to his holiday accommodation so was attempting to walk instead – a journey that would take 11 hours.
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‘Nightmare’ for missing teen’s family
Mr Slater’s father told Sky News on Saturday he is “just hoping that somebody has helped him off this mountain”.
Warren Slater has flown out to Tenerife with the missing teenager’s brother Zak to help with the search.
The father said the last few days have been “a nightmare, just a nightmare”.
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‘I just want him back’
Meanwhile, Mr Slater’s mother also made a direct plea to her missing son to come home this weekend, saying: “We just need you home.”
Ms Duncan said she has “not slept” since he disappeared.
Asked how the family were coping with the situation, she said: “We’re not. I’m not coping very well at all. I’ve not slept, I’m exhausted. It’s been awful. I can’t give up on him, I just can’t.”
The last person to speak to Mr Slater was Masca local Ofelia Medina Hernandez, who told the teenager a bus was due at 10am after he asked what time it would come.
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Tenerife local was last person to see Jay Slater
She added that he then set off before she later drove past him “walking fast”.
Earlier this week, photographs emerged showing the Tenerife property where Mr Slater had reportedly been before he went missing.
Many more people than the leading Tories already identified are being investigated by the gambling regulator in relation to bets on the date of the general election, Sky News understands.
And in a major new development, the watchdog has widened its inquiries to investigate whether people with inside knowledge may have asked a third party to place a bet for them.
Sky News also understands that investigators have written to leading bookmakers asking for details of bets of £20 or more on the election date within days of Rishi Sunak announcing it on 22 May.
Follow live general election updates
The body carrying out the investigation, the Gambling Commission, already takes a close interest in political betting and carries out extra checks on bets by people connected with politics, Sky News has been told.
The gambling industry also regards politicians and those who work closely with them as PEPs – politically exposed persons – who are people “entrusted with a prominent public function”.
That’s because these people generally “present a higher risk for potential involvement in bribery and corruption by virtue of their position and influence”, according to the Law Society.
Nick Mason, the Conservative’s chief data officer, is being investigated by the Electoral Commission
Laura Saunders is the party’s candidate in Bristol North West.
Pic: Laura Saunders for Bristol North West
It emerged on Saturday evening Nick Mason, the Tory party’s chief data officer, was the fourth Conservative candidate or official being investigated. He has taken a leave of absence and denies any wrongdoing.
Mr Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams, the Tory candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, admitted last week to placing a “flutter” on the date of the election.
Earlier this week, Tony Lee, the party’s director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders, the Tory candidate for Bristol North West, were also placed under investigation.
Mr Sunak’s close protection officer has been arrested for allegedly betting on the timing of the election.
Craig Williams admitted to betting on the election date. Pic: PA
Home Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips he had been told “very, very clearly” to not discuss the investigation.
He added: “I’m not in any way going to defend people who placed bets on that.”
Asked whether there was a wider betting circle, Mr Cleverly said: “That’s not my understanding. My understanding is it’s a small number of individuals.”
He also said he has “no reason to believe” any ministers are involved in betting on the timing of the election.
A Gambling Commission spokesman said: “The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the interests of consumers and the wider public.
“Currently, the Commission is investigating the possibility of offences concerning the date of the election.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and the Commission cannot provide any further details at this time. We are not confirming or denying the identity of any individuals involved in this investigation.”
A Conservative spokesman told Sky News: “As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons.”
The other candidates for Bristol North West are:
Caroline Gooch, Lib Dems
Darren Jones, Labour
Scarlett O’Connor, Reform UK
Mary Page, Green Party
Ben Smith, SDP
The other candidates for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr are:
Jeremy Brignell-Thorp, Green Party
Oliver Lewis, Reform Uk
Glyn Preston, Lib Dems
Elwyn Vaughan, Plaid Cymru
Steve Witherden, Labour
Ex-Liverpool captain and TV pundit Alan Hansen has been discharged from hospital and is to continue his recovery at home.
The Premier League club had announced in a statement on 9 June that the former Scotland centre-back was “seriously ill”.
Now in a post on X on Sunday, Liverpool FC said: “Alan has been discharged from hospital today to continue his recovery at home.
“Alan, Janet, Adam, Lucy and family would like to thank everybody for their wonderful messages of love and support. It has been overwhelming and has helped enormously.”
Alan Hansen during the 1987/88 season. Pic: Action Images via Reuters
His former Liverpool teammate, Graeme Souness, had indicated last week that Hansen was on the mend.
Hansen, 69, spent 14 years as a Liverpool player after signing from Partick Thistle in 1977, going on to win eight First Division titles, three European Cups and two FA Cups.
He spent four years as captain at Anfield and his 620 appearances place him in the top 10 among all Liverpool players for games played for the club.
The defender also won 26 caps for Scotland between 1979 and 1987, and played at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Hansen retired from professional football in 1991 to start a successful career as a television pundit.
He spent more than 20 years with the BBC, including as a regular guest on Match Of The Day.
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Hansen became celebrated for his no nonsense analysis – describing mistakes or bad play during games as “shocking”, “poor” or “diabolical”.
He made his final appearance for the BBC during the World Cup final in Rio in July 2014 after 22 years on screen.
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