Former health secretary Michael Matheson is facing a suspension from Holyrood over a near £11,000 iPad data roaming bill. First Minister John Swinney believes the process 'has been prejudiced'.
Scotland's first minister has been accused of demeaning himself and 'defending the indefensible' after announcing he will not be supporting a parliamentary committee's recommendation to ban Michael Matheson from Holyrood for 27 sitting days. Former health secretary Mr Matheson is facing the suspension over a near £11,000 iPad data roaming bill.
Mr Swinney said that if a constituent had come to him facing disciplinary action at work when their employer had made similar comments about them, he would 'come down on that employer like a tonne of bricks'. He added: 'That is the situation that Michael Matheson if facing here, and that is why I will not be supporting the sanction.' The first minister said he would not support calls for Mr Matheson to resign.
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