Chamber and committees

I think that there are members of all parties who would take an honourable position on such a committee, but that is just my personal view.

I turn to the matter of why there are wider questions to be asked. Every newspaper, broadcaster and social media outlet is talking about the issue. It will not go away, and the fact that it will not go away is being further fuelled by the Government’s refusal to consider any scrutiny of how the situation was allowed to arise in the first place.

There can be no denying the public interest in the course of events that was reported in 2021, which involved the governing party. Therefore, it is in the public interest, and the SNP’s interests, to do more to show that those questions can be answered.

Although it is the case that an individual has now been convicted of a serious criminal offence and found responsible for the crime, the issue goes beyond that. That is where the Green amendment misses the point. I do not understand why the SNP’s appeal for donations for an independence referendum was not included in the COPFS investigation. Furthermore, it does not sit comfortably with me that it has been announced in the press today that Murrell said that he was interested in talking about a plea of guilty in March. I know the court system quite well, and I am not comfortable with the fact that it took until the second or third week in May for that plea to be discussed and negotiated and for an outcome to be reached. I have questions about that.

Jamie Hepburn is right to say that we need to be careful about questioning the independence of the Crown and the police. I totally accept that point. However, it should not be the case that we, as politicians, are never prepared to challenge when we do not feel comfortable about things that we see.

I ask members to forget that it is me or the Labour Party telling them this. I am telling them that people on the streets of Scotland and—behind closed doors—police officers are asking the same questions. It may be the case that nothing corrupt or wrong went on, but until there is an inquiry that allows such wider questions to be asked, I am afraid that, for the SNP, the issue will simply not go away. So, if you will not support our motion on the setting up of a parliamentary inquiry, give something to the general public—never mind the Labour Party—so that they can be satisfied that the questions to which I have referred can be legitimately asked.

Robin McAlpine, the well-known Scottish writer, campaigner and supporter of independence, said, when addressing the SNP response to the Murrell criminal case, that

“The biggest mistake you are making is misunderstanding the nature of this scandal for the public.”

I believe that he is right. He said:

“They are sick of powerful people abusing their power. They are in a cost of living crisis and the list of luxury purchases”

that Peter Murrell stole

“is nauseating. They think you’re all at it (unfairly) and that you all have each other’s backs so justice is never done”.

The SNP does not see what is going on. That is the point that McAlpine was making. Willie Rennie made that point, too: that SNP members do not see that this is not only hurting Scottish politics but hurting their party. I have just heard that, apparently, what has happened does not diminish the SNP—I will come to that.

Let us talk of victims. There has not been much mention of the ordinary people who believe in the cause of independence and gave their own hard-earned cash—they have an interest, too.

The SNP has been in power for 20 years—that is a success—and it is going to have been in power for 25 years, which has never happened, but surely that means that there is a much greater responsibility on it to lead the way in tackling the cynicism against all of us from an electorate where almost half did not vote in the recent election. There is public distrust of all politicians. The Government has a big responsibility in that regard, which it does not seem to be waking up to.

There has not been a bigger scandal in Scottish politics in recent times. As Anas Sarwar said, people still have questions about how it was ever allowed to happen. We have seen no evidence that lessons have been learned. The SNP position has remained the same throughout: “This is our business. Keep out.” Coincidentally, that is exactly what those who questioned the accounts were told.

The SNP is opposed to a parliamentary inquiry. I have listened to some of the points that have been made about the reasons for that, but my problem is that SNP members have not made any serious suggestions about how a wider look could be taken at the questions that need to be asked.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service board is due to make a decision at the end of June which could have far-reaching implications for Scotland’s communities, as there are options for closure of some fire stations. The Glasgow Union Street fire, which we have discussed before, is a stark reminder of why the city of Glasgow needs a well-resourced fire service to save lives and protect businesses, with a need for appropriate high-reach appliances.

Will the First Minister support my view that, given the concern that all of us will have about this issue in relation to our constituencies and regions, there should be parliamentary oversight of the decision? Will the Scottish Government be prepared to look at that and, if necessary, reconsider the funding of the Fire and Rescue Service to ensure that Scotland’s communities remain safe?

I agree with the First Minister that we should not second-guess the courts. However, does he agree that the way in which such decisions on a trial are made matters to the public and affects how they view all Government institutions and the decisions that those institutions make, and that such decisions should, therefore, not only be fair but must be seen to be so?

The legal process may be at its end, but does the First Minister agree that accountability for what happened in the first place cannot be ended, not just for the sake of party or parliamentary politics, but for the sake of all those whistleblowers and people who challenge institutions in the first place where that is a very hard thing to do?

Attacks on our police officers, who are simply doing their job, are unacceptable. In order to identify those who were responsible for criminal behaviour last Saturday, the police need all the tools that are available. However, closed-circuit television coverage of Glasgow city centre is no longer available 24/7 due to funding cuts. Will the cabinet secretary—and, I hope, the First Minister—assure the Parliament that, in any future discussions on how we police effectively, and in identifying those responsible, prosecuting them and ensuring that they know that the rule of law will be enforced, she will address the full operation of CCTV in Glasgow, which is Scotland’s largest city?

I, Pauline Mary McNeill, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.