Angela Docherty

ABBA enthusiast. Value truth, justice & equality. Speaking up for women's rights. 'In a time of deceit, speaking truth is a revolutionary act.' Love spaniels!

[Paul Hutcheon @paulhutcheon]

Opinion | John Swinney is putting party over country as he tries to block scrutiny of the Peter Murrell scandal.

The First Minister said after he was elected FM that he would govern for "all" of Scotland.

That lasted a matter of days.

https://t.co/0zgNwaoym9

[Angela Docherty @AngelaDocherty]

@Katejsm1 @RussellFindlay1 🤭

[Russell Findlay @RussellFindlay1]

Here's John Swinney on the BBC in 2021 saying there was no problem with the SNP finance's👇

His childhood friend Peter Murrell continued stealing from SNP members AFTER this date.

Murrell knew he had the protection of Swinney. No wonder Swinney's running scared of an inquiry.

[Angela Docherty @AngelaDocherty]

@staylorish Not a good look

[Agent P @AgentP22]

Squeaky Bum Time for John Swinney!

https://t.co/CzWdaDRRtY

[down the rabbit hole @thesedgehog]

@AgentP22 @macnahgalla

[Conor Matchett @conor_matchett]

John Swinney is clearly furious whenever anyone questions his personal integrity

The problem is that that is directly in question following the Murrell scandal. It won't stop, nor should it.

[Angela Docherty @AngelaDocherty]

@conor_matchett Swinney doesn't seem to realise that he can't demand that others see him as having integrity - he has to earn it! And keep on earning it! He's managed to fly below the radar of scrutiny until now. 'Don't question me' is never a good look!

[Linda Holt @LHolt99]

At FMQs today John Swinney was on the ropes as never before. His only defence was that he won the election.

Yet had the Murrell plea of guilty taken place before the election - as it was supposed to - that win would have been far less secure. Swinney actually said all those who voted for him/the SNP don't care what the opposition say about his/his party's actions.

This is quite close to megalomania.

All this won't end well for Swinney, not least because he has alienated the press and there is a plethora of revelations, court actions and a very likely parliamentary inquiry to come.

[Angela Docherty @AngelaDocherty]

@LHolt99 Swinney has lost sight that we did not all vote for him, and, the hard reality is that he is accountable to all voters. He's totally carried away with himself! Trying to shut journalists down was also a BIG mistake - and not a good look

[Agent P @AgentP22]

So public money may have been raided from SNP accounts and John Swinney still doesn't want a parliamentary inquiry?

What exactly is he afraid we'll find?

[Agent P @AgentP22]

Murrell has admitted stealing from SNP members.

John Swinney says no public money was involved.

Fine. Then publish the evidence, show the audit trail and put the question to bed once and for all.

Why should anyone just take the SNP's word for it?

[Agent P @AgentP22]

Murrell has been convicted. But the bigger question for John Swinney is why he still behaves as if this is all somebody else's problem.

The SNP didn't just have a rogue chief executive. It had a culture of secrecy, denial and blind loyalty. Swinney was there for all of it.

[Sam Taylor @staylorish]

John Swinney loses his cool (twice) at FMQs when his personal integrity is quite legitimately questioned.

[Angela Docherty @AngelaDocherty]

@staylorish Some in your constituency John Swinney did try to reject you at the election. It rather lacks humility to suggest that we all voted to retain you as our MSP! Also, you are obligated to accept scrutiny and to account for yourself. Otherwise your integrity is open to question!

[Agent P @AgentP22]

John Swinney spent years telling SNP members their referendum fund was "ring-fenced". Now he admits the £650,000 is gone and was used as part of the SNP's general resources.

So which was it, John? Ring-fenced or spent?

[alexmassie @alexmassie]

John Swinney is handling the Murrell affair very badly.
So badly, in fact, that we are left to conclude he opposes a new inquiry because he fears what it might find.
At some point, SNP people are going to start wondering if he is part of the problem…
https://t.co/zsxYAQG8Ul

[Sam Taylor @staylorish]

Awkward. Speaking in parliament in 2022, John Swinney railed against the economic illiteracy of people suggesting he had the right to spend ringfenced money on other things.

[Agent P @AgentP22]

Hilarious.

Does John Swinney actually believe people will swallow this nonsense?

🙈

[Tom Harris 🇬🇧 @MrTCHarris]

A sub at the Record won't be buying his own drinks tonight.