Friday 9 October 2026
Stephen Flynn (SNP) Russell Findlay (Conservative), and First Minister John Swinney.
by BILL HEANEY
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has demanded SNP transport secretary Stephen Flynn refer himself to the independent advisers on the ministerial code.
His call comes after emails exposed Flynn, who is tipped to be Scotland’s next First Minister, directly contradicting claims he was not briefed on an incident involving the Glen Sannox ferry ahead of appearing at Holyrood’s transport committee last month.
Following the session, Flynn was involved in signing off lines alongside Transport Scotland officials, where he said he was not briefed on this incident.
However, further correspondence shows that Transport Scotland officials emailed Flynn twice about the incident ahead of the committee session beginning.
Findlay says the “bombshell” new evidence suggests Flynn conspired with officials to execute a “sleekit, skin-saving cover-up.”
He says he must now do the right thing and refer himself for an independent investigation by the advisers to the ministerial code to determine whether he has misled Parliament and the public.
Flynn’s potential breach of the code comes in the same week John Swinney refused to correct the record after making false statements in a response to a question on pensions by Findlay at First Minister’s Questions.
Findlay added that Flynn is increasingly resembling a “mini-Swinney” as the pair share the brazen propensity to hoodwink taxpayers.
Russell Findlay said: “These emails appear to confirm that John Swinney’s transport secretary was briefed about this critical incident on a CalMac ferry.
“Stephen Flynn should have admitted that he had simply failed to do his job properly.
“But instead, this bombshell new evidence suggests that he conspired with officials to execute a sleekit, skin-saving cover-up.
“Flynn is increasingly beginning to resemble a mini-Swinney as they share the same brazen propensity to hoodwink the paying public.
“Swinney still refuses to correct the record despite falsely telling parliament that Scots would lose their pensions.
“And now his apparent successor is engaging in similar grubby dishonesty.
“Flynn should do the right thing and refer himself for investigation to the independent advisers to the ministerial code.”
Top of page: Glen Sannox, at the heart of the storm in the Scottish Parliament.