Michael Matheson was visibly emotional during a personal statement to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday. Photo: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images Europe
The debacle over the £11,000 iPad bill that Scotland's health minister racked up while on holiday threatens to engulf Humza Yousaf as opposition politicians said the First Minister's “integrity lies under threat.”
Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said Mr Yousaf needed to answer questions as the truth came to light in major charges brought against Michael Matheson, accused of a parliamentary arrangement when he was in Morocco with his wife and two teenage sons.
Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labor, said the First Minister must answer “serious questions” amid allegations of “secrecy and cover-up”.
The controversy has shifted to media interviews given by the Health Secretary on Monday, in in which he denies that the device was used for personal purposes or that anyone else used the device.
It is now understood that Mr Matheson, who initially claimed the charges arose from his failure to update the device's SIM card, had learned four days earlier that his sons were primarily responsible for data roaming charges that amounted to £10,935.74 when using the device as an internet hotspot to watch football.
In a personal statement to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, a visibly emotional Mr Matheson said he had briefed the matter Mr Yousaf on Tuesday.
The admission prompted Ross to write to the First Minister asking him to explain why he described Matheson as a “man of integrity and character” in whom he had “full confidence”.
In his letter, Mr Ross claimed the First Minister made these statements about Mr Matheson when he “knew by then that he had lied to the press about that his iPad was used for parliamentary purposes.”
He added: “Do you think members of your government can lie to the press? …You knowingly made a false statement by continuing to claim on Wednesday that the iPad was used for work purposes and the only “honest mistake” your Health Minister made was with an outdated SIM card?
Mr. Ross, who plans to table a vote of no confidence in Mr Matheson, the MP for Falkirk West, said: “Humza Yousaf has as many questions to answer about this scandal as Michael Matheson. His integrity is at risk as much as his friend's.
“He owes the public an explanation and an apology for giving unequivocal support to a minister he knew deliberately lied to the country when he claimed the iPad was only used for work purposes.”
G- Mr Sarwar said the health minister “should think about his position” and accused the first minister of “being heavy-handed on this issue”.
Mr Matheson has resisted calls to resign and asked parliament for a possible investigation into breaches of his code of conduct.
'The position is untenable'
Meghan Gallagher, deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said his position was 'untenable'.
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland program on Friday, Megan Gallagher, deputy leader Scottish Conservatives said his position was “untenable”.
“I truly believe that Michael Matheson's position is now untenable, since he has admitted to lying to the public and the press.”
Matheson told MSP on Thursday that the “simple truth” was that his two teenage sons were “watching football games” using the device as an internet hotspot.
He said he was advised by IT – Holyrood specialists. that he should connect his phone to the iPad's “hotspot” because the first one did not work in Morocco.
However, the Scottish Parliament said its records “recorded no discussion” of the device.
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Mr Matheson apologized and said he had not previously mentioned his family's involvement because he was “a father first and foremost” and wanted to protect his children from “political and media attention.”
< p>An SNP spokesman said: “Mr Matheson has fully reimbursed Parliament for the costs incurred and set out his position in detail on Thursday, including an appeal to the body corporate of the Scottish Parliament.”
Angus Robertson, Scotland's culture secretary, said, that Mr Matheson is a “very capable” man and that he looks forward to his continuation as Health Secretary.
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