Emma Roddick MSP calls out ‘hypocrisy’ of Scottish Conservative Party following debate leak

MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has called for the Scottish Conservatives to apologise to the Scottish Parliament after details of their opposition debate were sent to media outlets and lobbyists before colleagues or the Parliamentary Bureau, a cross-party body which agrees business in Holyrood.

Calling a point of order before Scottish Conservative Party Business in the chamber this afternoon [Wednesday 25th January], Ms Roddick expressed her concern that Members outwith the Conservatives had not been told what the debate would be on until late Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Roddick revealed that MSPs had been surprised by a pre-prepared briefing from Scottish Lands & Estates and the Scottish Association of Landlords which landed in their email inboxes on Monday afternoon, long before the Parliament knew what the debate topic would be.

Commenting, she said:

“For information on today’s debates to be shared with landlord lobby groups and the media before MSPs and before even being agreed upon by the Parliamentary Bureau is completely unacceptable.

“The Scottish Conservatives have undermined this parliament and its proper democratic processes and must issue a formal apology.

“It concerns me that a party, whose own members have repeatedly called out others for lack of ‘respect to the Scottish Parliament’, cannot stick by their own principles – this is yet another example of the Scottish Conservatives’ blatant hypocrisy and disrespect of Scotland’s parliament.”