Scottish Labour calls for 'urgent investigation' into MSP bugging allegations

Scottish Labour has called for an "urgent investigation" by the Scottish Parliament following reports of MSPs being bugged by their own staff members.

It was reported yesterday that the office of a female SNP MSP had been bugged by her male staff member.

The man is alleged to have planted listening devices in the office of the MSP, who has not be identified, in late 2023 according to The Scotsman.

The SNP has said it was not aware of these allegations.

Asked about them yesterday, First Minister John Swinney said such conduct was "completely and utterly unacceptable".

It is understood the staff member in question no long works for any MSP but is still involved with the SNP at branch level.

The Sun has now reported a further two MSPs had been targeted in a similar way by staffers.

One of them was understood to have occurred while Nicola Sturgeon was still first minister, and another since Swinney took over the leadership role last year, according to the paper.

Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the reports were "deeply alarming" and amounted to a "shocking violation of trust and an unacceptable breach of standards".

In a letter to Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone, she wrote: "These incidents raise serious questions about the safety of our parliament and the security of our government.

"In the absence of any action from the SNP or the government, it is all the more vital that the Scottish Parliament steps up to ensure this is a safe place to work.

"There must be an urgent investigation by the Scottish Parliament into these claims to establish the scale and precise nature of this wrongdoing."

Asked about the allegation yesterday, Swinney said he was "not familiar with all of the detail".

He added: "But that type of conduct is completely and utterly unacceptable. Individuals shouldn't be subjected to that kind of behaviour."

Staff working in MSP offices are employed by the MSPs themselves and not by the Scottish Parliament or by political parties.

A spokesperson for the SNP said: "The reports outline a very traumatic situation for those involved and nobody should ever have to experience fear or harassment for doing their job.

"The SNP has no involvement in the employment processes of parliamentarians."

The spokesperson later added: "It is categorically untrue to state the party or any first ministers were aware of these allegations."