Swinney tells FMQs he accepts decision on Matheson sanctions

Another day at Holyrood, one other debate about Michael
Matheson’s iPad knowledge roaming invoice.

The SNP could have been hoping that the matter might need been
closed by the votes at Holyrood on Wednesday, with the well being secretary now off
serving his ban.

But each Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar clearly suppose there’s
nonetheless a gap there to chip away at John Swinney and his celebration, with one eye
on the final election marketing campaign.

For Ross it was a query of the primary minister’s
private integrity. This drew an indignant response from Swinney, who stated the
Tory chief had misplaced the argument when he needed to resort to private abuse.

For Sarwar the argument was extra that the iPad row has
proved a distraction from the day job – saying the federal government was “placing the
SNP first, not Scotland”.

The Labour chief wished to tie the difficulty to the state of
the well being service, even throwing in a case examine of a affected person as he constructed up
to a reasonably blatant pitch for votes on 4 July.

But it was clear Swinney was prepared for this, with quotes
from Wes Streeting and Rachel Reeves in his folder to learn out in response,
making arguments about NHS privatisation and austerity.

If the dialogue of Matheson and his roaming invoice is
feeling fairly acquainted by now, these election speaking factors are going to be
very well-worn by the point polling day comes round.