iPad scandal MP Michael Matheson sentenced for longest ever suspension from Scottish Parliament

Former Health Minister Michael Matheson is to be suspended from Parliament for 27 days.

The SNP MSP was found to have breached the code of conduct for MSPs by attempting to use expenses and office costs to cover a data roaming bill of almost £11,000 which was racked up on a parliamentary device.

Matheson said the Holyrood committee that recommended the longest-ever suspension of the Scottish Parliament was “politicized” and the sanction was “excessive”.

Following the First Minister’s questions, he told reporters: “I acknowledge the recommendations of the committee.

“However, I think it is quite clear that the process has been highly politicized, which has compromised the process and its fairness.

“I also think the sanctions they have imposed are excessive and unfair.”

The Scottish Tories will try to force Matheson to resign. First Minister John Swinney defended him and said the proceedings against the former minister were “biased”.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross sharply criticised the First Minister’s description of the incident and accused Matheson of “fraud and abuse of trust” in the scandal surrounding his data bill for family holidays in Morocco.

The Committee on Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments announced the sanction on Thursday morning.

The committee said Matheson should be suspended for 27 sitting days and have his salary suspended for 54 days.

It will now be voted on in Parliament.

How did we get here?

Michael Matheson went on holiday with his family to take a short break from the rigours of life as a Scottish Government minister.

But during his trip to Morocco over Christmas 2022, the use of his parliamentary iPad would prove his political downfall.

When it became known that Matheson had tried to collect the enormous bill from the taxpayer, he announced that he would cover the costs himself.

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However, when asked by journalists, the former minister initially denied that the device had been misused.

Opposition parties accused the then Health Minister of lying about his statements on the large-scale use of data.

Finally, in a tearful speech, Matheson revealed that the bill was due to his children using the device as a Wi-Fi hotspot to watch football while on holiday in Morocco.

After months of revelations, Matheson resigned as health minister in February.

What did the committee say?

Announcing the outcome of the inquiry, committee chairman Martin Whitfield said the findings of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), which investigated Matheson, showed that the standards expected of MSPs were “not met”.

“The committee is therefore unanimous in its view that it is appropriate to propose sanctions to Parliament for consideration,” he said.

According to the chairman, the committee members agreed on the recommendation of a fine and the determination of the amount of salary to be withheld.

But SNP MPs Jackie Dunbar and Alasdair Allan disagreed with Tory members Annie Wells and Oliver Mundell that the suspension should be for 27 days, with the convener having the casting vote.

The longest ban Holyrood authorities have ever imposed on MSPs is one month. It was imposed on SNP MP Mark McDonald as a result of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, as well as four Scottish Socialist Party MSPs who were punished for a protest they held in the chamber during First Minister’s Questions.

Pressure on Matheson’s position as an MSP is likely to increase, but the Scottish Parliament does not have the ability to sack a member as effectively as Westminster.

South of the border, a suspension of ten days of session is enough to trigger a recall petition. This means that voters can remove a representative if ten percent of voters sign the document.

This was most recently used in Rutherglen and Hamilton West after former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier breached Covid regulations and resulted in Labour winning the seat with a huge swing.

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