The public will be “outraged” if former health secretary Michael Matheson accepts a severance payment of almost £13,000, Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Tories, has said.
Mr Matheson resigned from the Scottish Government role on the 8th of February following months of scrutiny over his parliamentary iPad bill of almost £11,000.
He racked up the charges while holidaying in Morocco over Christmas in 2022, later conceding his sons had used the device as a hotspot to watch football. Something that he had initially denied and lied about when challenged over the bill which he expected the Scottish people to cover.
The former health secretary eventually agreed to repay the money after coming under pressure from the media and other political figures.
Matheson has never apologised or expressed any regret over attempting to claim the bill from the taxpayer and lying to Parliament, the media, and the Scottish public over the matter.
Following his resignation, Mr Matheson is entitled to a grant of 25 per cent of his final ministerial salary of £50,849, meaning he will be paid a £12,712 severance fee, which would more than cover the data bill.
Ross said on Friday that the “disgraced” ex-minister, who held several ministerial posts in his almost 13 years in government, should not accept the payment.
Mr Ross said,” I think the public would be appalled if he were to accept that money given how he disgraced the office for several months before finally resigning”.
He added,” I hope that he, at some stage in the whole sorry saga, does the right thing and either refuses to accept that money or pays it back”.
Mr Matheson’s resignation came ahead of the outcome of an investigation by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body into his expenses claim to cover the iPad charges.
The report is expected to be published in the coming weeks, with Mr Ross also calling into question Mr Matheson’s future as an MSP depending on the outcome.
Too often, we see government ministers walk away with large payoffs while retaining their jobs as MP/MSPs after failing in their positions or committing indiscretions. We have also seen many MP/MSP leave in similar circumstances, taking substantial amounts from the taxpayer in severance payments while walking into other lucrative positions.
It is time that the taxpayer-funded gravy train enjoyed by these politicians stopped, not only severance payments like this but many of the other allowances and benefits they receive while their constituents struggle with the cost of living and stagnating wages.
