Scottish Conservatives still plan to hold Swinney no confidence vote

The Scottish Conservatives are still planning to hold a vote of no confidence in the deputy first minister over the handling of the publication of legal advice for the Alex Salmond judicial review. 

MSPs twice voted to compel the Scottish Government to publish its legal advice taken as part of the action brought forward by Salmond over its internal harassment probe. 

The government agreed after it looked as though the motion would be supported by all four parties.

Swinney said the material published would show "serious allegations" questioning the integrity of the legal system were "false".

However, the advice raised further questions about the government's decision making, with its lawyers expressing concerns about the case two months before it was conceded. 

In September 2018, a joint note by Christine O’Neill and Roddy Dunlop said the grounds Salmond was challenging the government on were “weak”.

However, they also said there was a “real risk” in relation to procedural unfairness.

Then in advice from Dunlop dated 31 October, he said the revelation of Investigating Officer Judith McKinnon’s prior contact with complainers was “extremely concerning”.

On Friday, more legal advice was published after Nicola Sturgeon's appearance before the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints. 

Subject to the decision of the parliamentary bureau, a vote of no confidence in Swinney will be held on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Scottish Conservatives say a vote of no confidence in Nicola Sturgeon will be brought forward shortly afterwards.

The party's leader Douglas Ross said: "John Swinney ignored two votes of the Scottish Parliament and committee requests for months until his job was on the line." 

Ross said Swinney’s position had become "untenable", adding: "He has disrespected the Scottish Parliament repeatedly, blatantly withheld evidence from a parliamentary inquiry, and tried to mislead the public."