Greens urged to rethink Angela Constance backing ahead of confidence vote

The Greens have been urged to back a no-confidence vote in justice secretary Angela Constance amid a row over whether she misled parliament.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has moved to remove her from post, claiming she inaccurately portrayed comments made by child sexual abuse expert Alexis Jay in relation to a grooming gangs inquiry.

Sarwar put forward a motion of no confidence last week which has been backed by the Conservatives and Lib Dems.

However, the Greens said they would not support it and accused other parties of turning child sexual abuse into a “party political issue”.

Sarwar has now written to Greens co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay urging them to rethink ahead of the vote, which is expected to happen on Tuesday.

He said: “Angela Constance misled parliament on perhaps one of the most serious issues in her brief… It is a clear and indefensible breach of the ministerial code, made all the more appalling by the incredibly serious subject matter.

“If the cabinet secretary cannot be trusted to tell the truth on an issue as grave as child protection, then she cannot be trusted to do her job.”

He added that if the Greens backed the government, they risked “sending a clear signal that lying is tolerated” and that the ministerial code was “optional”.

The row stems from a September debate on the government’s Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, during which Tory MSP Liam Kerr sought to amend it to enable an inquiry into grooming gangs to take place.

Constance told parliament then that Jay, who chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales between 2016 and 2022, “does not support further inquiries into child sexual abuse and exploitation”.

But Jay later wrote to the justice secretary, saying her comments had been taken out of context. She said she had “expressed no views” on the amendment and called for this to be clarified.

First Minister John Swinney backed his justice secretary last week, saying she was making a “general comment” about the bill and Jay’s view had been clarified in the minutes of the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Group.

Asked about the no-confidence motion, Constance said she was focused “on the job that I have to do”.

The political make-up of the Scottish Parliament means all opposition parties would need to unite to outvote the SNP.

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay separately brought forward a no-confidence motion in Constance.

Speaking ahead of the expected vote, deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “The justice secretary misled parliament and the country by twisting the views of Professor Jay and then ignoring repeated calls to correct the record – all to sustain the SNP’s government’s illogical efforts to block a Scottish grooming gangs inquiry.

“Her actions mean she has lost the trust of victims – and that alone is reason for her to go.”

The Lib Dems confirmed last week its five MSPs would lend their support.

But a spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: “Protecting children from sexual abuse and securing justice for victims and survivors is our priority, as it should be for every MSP. The vote does neither of those, so we will not back it.

“Survivors deserve so much better than this being turned into a party political issue.”