John Swinney has been accused of a 'shocking lack of judgment' after 'Schmoozing' ethical watchdogs that could one day determine his destiny.
The prime minister invited his three independent advisers to the Scottish ministerial code to have lunch last month in his official home of Bute House.
The three – a former public prosecutor, judge and civil servants – are responsible for investigating possible breaches of the code by Mr. Swinney and his ministers.
Within a few days after the meeting, the trio came under intense pressure to investigate health secretary Neil Gray about an alleged ethical infringement – but decided to do nothing.
Despite an earlier online discussion between Mr. Swinney and the advisers, the Scottish government insisted that lunch had been an 'introductory meeting'.
The group could meet each other and discuss the position of the role of adviser, a spokeswoman said.
The conservatives said that the situation 'smells' and asked why the advisers did not keep away from someone they might have to investigate.
Tory MSP Stephen Kerr said: 'This is a terrible look for John Swinney and smells of the cover-up culture that has given the core of this SNP government for the past 18 years.
The prime minister invited his three independent advisers to the Scottish ministerial code to have lunch in his official home of Bute House
'He repeatedly spoke these agreements because the research made more independent, but clearly had no trouble with Schmoozing advisers during lunch in Bute House.
'That shows a shocking lack of judgment of the prime minister when the public is already disillusioned about how these so -called independent investigations into ministerial behavior are carried out.
“Although these advisers were best placed to recover themselves, the responsibility on Mr. Swinney is to explain why he was in the first place.”
The meeting was held against the background of a long -term row about the behavior of Mr Gray.
In November, the health secretary apologized to Holyrood after bringing ministerial limos to several football matches, many in which his beloved Aberdeen FC was involved.
He claimed that he had been in official matters, but opposition parties accused him of the use of taxpayers to go on 'Jollies'.
A week after the Butthe House -Lunch, the row flared up again, when it appeared, Mr Gray had misled MSPs by wrongly claiming that official summaries existed of all his meetings at the matches.
The Tories demanded that the three advisers investigate whether Mr Gray had broken the ministerial code – a potentially dismissal element – but last week they refused.
The government said there was “no discussion about individual matters” during lunch.
Mr Swinney, who is in charge of the ministerial code, updated the government control book at the end of last year to give the independent advisers more power that helps.
In the past, only a prime minister could order a probe in a minister or refer himself to external advisers.
Now the advisers can theoretically start their own research without the approval of the FM.
Former Irish public prosecutor Claire Loftus, former director of the civil service Sir John Manzoni, and former Lord Justice of Appeal Sir Ernest Ryder are the advisers since December.
Files released under Freedom of Information show that the three on November 28 had an online meeting of Mr. Swinney and his ethical officials to discuss their roles.
The meeting covered proposed changes to the code and the reference conditions of the advisers.
The trio was invited on January 13 for a two -hour lunch with Mr Swinney in Bute House as part of the activity of a day, including meeting high officials.
The Scottish government confirmed last night that lunch took place as planned, and said that civil servants were present and that the meeting was mounted.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: “The independent advisers are appointed by the prime minister to advise on matters related to the Scottish ministerial code.
“This was an introductory meeting that offered the advisers and the prime minister an opportunity to meet each other and discuss the position of the role.”
