'Sleekit' SNP flout files deadline

THE "sleekit and secretive" SNP government is facing fresh legal action after failing to meet two deadlines to publish documents relating to Nicola Sturgeon.

- BY DAVID WALKER Scottish Politics Reporter

John Swinney has been ordered to release evidence gathered by James Hamilton when he probed whether the former First Minister breached the ministerial code when giving evidence to MSPs during the Alex Salmond Inquiry.

The long-running saga began in 2021 when a member of the public, Benjamin Harrop, requested details through freedom of information laws.

The Holyrood executive had already lost a court case after insisting it didn't "hold" this data, but now say it can't be published as it may identify the victims. The Scottish Information Commissioner has demanded the documents be released but his two deadlines have been ignored, putting the government at risk of breaking contempt of court laws.

David Hamilton instructed his solicitors yesterday to begin legal proceedings against SNP ministers for failing to disclose information and legal advice.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: "Voters are sick to the back teeth of the SNP's secret Scotland, the way in which they treat everything as if it's a state secret, the way in which they misuse taxpayers' money to suppress and hide information from the paying public.