Latest updates: Labour’s deputy leader says her party would clean up politics and restore standards in public life
- Don’t overshadow jubilee by plotting against PM, says Patel
- Ethics watchdog says PM has failed to allay fears he is above the rules
Republican campaigners have applauded a decision by Scottish Green MSPs to boycott a Scottish parliament debate celebrating the platinum jubilee by walking out en masse.
All seven Scottish Green MSPs, including two government ministers – Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater – left the Holyrood chamber as Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister and Scottish National party leader, led celebrations of the Queen’s 70 years as monarch.
The Greens’ refusal to do so is petty, student politics at its worst. Their transparent attempt to woo anti-monarchy voters will frustrate the vast majority of Scots who recognise [the] celebrations as a chance to show our gratitude for Her Majesty’s tireless dedication.
I think it’s quite extraordinary. There are big political changes across the whole of the UK and certainly in Scotland. It wouldn’t have happened 10 years ago.
We respect others hold different beliefs. Our MSPs decided to absent themselves from today’s short debate and instead spend their time serving their constituents.
Boris Johnson has shown himself unfit to uphold high standards in public life and is lowering the bar each and every day he clings to office, trying to rig the rules as he faces investigation for deliberately misleading Parliament.
The chair of the committee on standards in public life joins the prime minister’s own ethics adviser in criticising his cherry-picking of changes to the Ministerial Code and ethical scrutiny of government.
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