DAVID Mundell has refused to apologise for repeating the "fake news" claims that Nicola Sturgeon had changed how often the Union flag would be flown in Scotland.
The Scottish Secretary told the House of Commons this week that it “beggars belief” that the SNP are banging on about flags when when “educational standards are falling and Police Scotland is in chaos”.
The problem is, of course, that he was wrong. The policy had in fact changed EIGHT years ago, but the Tories had only noticed when the offical guidance had been updated.
It was very quickly revealed that Alex Salmond had made the change in 2010 - with backing from the Queen.
The Daily Mail, one of three newspapers to splash the story on their front page, has already issued an apology to Sturgeon, with the others expected to do likewise.
But the SNP also want the Tories, who ranted about it all Wednesday morning, to say sorry. “The Daily Mail has apologised to the First Minister for its false story and the Tories should now do likewise for attempting to spread it," they said.
A spokesman said: “This isn’t the first time Mr Mundell and the Tories have been proven wrong and it won’t be the last. Whilst it would be the honourable thing for him, Ruth Davidson and all the other Tories who spent their week obsessing over flags to apologise for spreading this misinformation, reflect on their priorities and the stories they promote, we won’t hold our breath."
But Mundell has REFUSED to apologise for spreading the fake news.
A UK Government spokesperson today said: "As Mr Mundell has made clear, the Scottish Government needs to spend less time worrying about flags, and concentrate on the day job of sorting out the very significant problems in Scotland’s schools, health service and law enforcement.”
Nicola Sturgeon tweeted earlier that the Daily Mail "admitted that its ridiculous story about me and flags was utterly false and issued a full apology".
"Rigorous scrutiny of politicians by a free media is fundamental to our democracy," she wrote. "But when newspapers publish blatant untruths they do a disservice, not just to those they defame, but to the integrity of their trade. That’s why it’s important to challenge falsehoods."
Mundell had said on Wednesday: “In September 2014 the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain within the United Kingdom, and the Union Jack is the flag of the United Kingdom.
“It beggars belief that, at a time when children’s hospital wards are being closed, educational standards are falling and Police Scotland is in chaos, the priority of the First Minister of Scotland is flags.”
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