Lord Steel confirms resignation after SNP Supreme Court spat
16 Tuesday Aug 2011
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The UKSCBlog hears that Lord Steel has resigned as an independent adviser to the Scottish Government on the the ministerial code, in protest at the language used by Scottish Government ministers when criticising the Supreme Court.
Mr Salmond provoked widespread criticism in June when he said Lord Hope of Craighead, the deputy president of the court, made judgments in favour of the “vilest people on the planet”.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was also criticised after threatening to remove funding for the court, saying: “He who pays the piper picks the tune.”
Lord Steel explained:
“The reason I relinquished the role was that I was appalled by the language being used by Alex Salmond, Kenny MacAskill and an authorised spokesman towards the judiciary on the Supreme Court and the secretary of state.
“I told Alex that I hoped this was not the way they were going to continue now that they had an overall majority, because if so I expected a growing number of complaints against ministers.”
The other independent adviser, George Reid, has also relinquished his position, and former lord advocates Lord Fraser and Dame Elish Angiolini will take over.
The Scottish Government established a system of independent advisers in 2008 to enable the First Minister to refer complaints made under the Ministerial Code. The former Presiding Officers Lord Steel and George Reid have discharged the role since 2008.
4 comments
John Dowdle said:
17/08/2011 at 00:01
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, Baron Acton.
The SNP are just conforming to the old stereotypes, that’s all. You can’t blame them: they have never held absolute power before. It is not their fault; blame the Scottish electorate for giving them so much power. They should have known they would corrupt the SNP by so doing.
Graeme said:
22/08/2011 at 12:14
In reply to the comment of John Dowdle.
As a citizen I have a vested interest in the future of Scotland and can quite honestly say the SNP were simply laying down a marker for the legal establishment in Scotland. For far too long you have had no Scottish political framework to work within. Being left to your on devices since 1707 has resulted in the legal establishment being seen to be asleep at the wheel! Just look at the Human Rights legislation in Scotland and now the “Supreme Court” fiasco.
Why have you been so slow to protect and develope the Scottish Law?
Nothing like a “rude” awakening for getting the blood flowing!
D. said:
01/05/2012 at 18:53
It is not right to work for the S.N.P. in the first place.
“Lord Steel explained: “… I was appalled by the language being used by Alex Salmond, Kenny MacAskill and an authorised spokesman towards the judiciary on the Supreme Court and the secretary of state.
“I told Alex that I hoped this was not the way they were going to continue now that they had an overall majority, …”” – Of course it is. Everyone knows that this is how Salmond and the S.N.P. always behave.
I wasn’t aware of this abuse by Salmond but, after seeing this blog, I read this Telegraph article on it:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/cw6tsn4
The article reports Salmond saying: “… when the citizens of Scotland understandably vent their fury about the prospect of some of the vilest people on the planet getting lots of money off the public purse, they don’t go chapping at Lord Hope’s door,” Mr Salmond told Holyrood magazine.
Sounds like he’s abusing his position while on public duties: “citizens of Scotland” makes it sound as if Scotland already had independence. (A ploy he uses often.) I also think it’s unacceptable of someone in his position to talk threateningly of: all the people in Scotland “venting their fury” and saying: … [let’s hope] they don’t go chapping at Lord Hope’s door.”
(As if they’ve heard of this obscure subject anyway.)
Salmond also says: “At least I went to the bother of being elected – it may be an inconvenience but none the less has to count for something.” – Not much of an election. Only less than 45% of the people who happened to be living in Scotland at the time voted for The Scottish Parliament to exist. A minority of a minority.
“Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was also criticised after threatening to remove funding for the court, saying: “He who pays the piper picks the tune.”” – A pretty good summing up of Mac Askill’s understanding of law and government. Is it legal for him to threaten that?
http://ukscblog.com/lord-steel-confirms-resignation-after-snp-supreme-court-spat
According to the BBC: “Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond, has announced plans to hold an independence referendum in the autumn of 2014.” – How is this legal? Salmond is in The Scottish Executive – constitutional matters are reserved, and it is illegal for him to be agitating on them while on his public duty hours.
Salmond and his fellow S.N.P. politicians sow discord wherever they go.