A FORMER Tory MSP has had a complaint over a tweet dismissed by the Holyrood Standards Committee.
Adam Tomkins, former Glasgow region MSP for the Scottish Tories between 2016 and 2021, did not breach the MSP’s code of conduct, according to the committee.
The full details of the tweet and investigation will be released later this afternoon, but The National understands the message was related to Deputy First Minister John Swinney.
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Martin Whitfield, (pictured above) Scottish Labour MSP and convener of the Standards Committee, said in a statement that Tomkins was accused of being “disrespectful towards another MSP”.
Speaking through videolink, Whifield said: “The commissioner concluded that the respondent had breached the code of conduct provisions in relation to courtesy and respect.
“The committee is unanimous in the decisions reached on the complaint, it agrees with the acting Commisioners findings in fact.
“The committee does not agree with the acting commissioner’s conclusion that a breach of the code of conduct has occurred.”
Whitfield added that the code of conduct for MSPs specifically includes caveats for private and family life, and expressing political views.
He added: “In considering this complaint, the committee were mindful of the scope of the code of conduct.
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“On balance, the committee concluded that a link between the tweet in question and the member’s parliamentary duties was not sufficiently established.
“The guidance on the code of conduct makes it clear that its provisions in relation to how members conduct themselves apply in relation to activity on social media, subject to the overall scope of the code.
“The committee recognises however that there may be value in reviewing that guidance, so that MSPs as well as the public have a clearer understanding of the interaction between social media postings and parliamentary duties, and what falls within the scope of the code.”
Tomkins served on the Tory benches until the 2021 election
Whitfield added that the committee will consider if the code of conduct needs updating or clarification.
Shortly after the announcement, Tomkins tweeted: “Delighted that, after months of ludicrous and taxpayer funded expensive investigation, Holyrood’s Standards Committee, overruling the Standards Commissioner l, has cleared me of breaching the MSP Code of Conduct.
“But what a nonsense.”
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He added: “Now this complaint has been dismissed I can finally talk about it. It is LUDICROUS that in Scotland, opposition politicians can be investigated for months for doing the job of criticising government politicians.”
Delighted that, after months of ludicrous and taxpayer funded expensive investigation, Holyrood’s Standards Committee, overruling the Standards Commissioner l, has cleared me of breaching the MSP Code of Conduct. But what a nonsense.
— Adam Tomkins (@ProfTomkins) December 16, 2021
It comes as Tomkins called on all three pro-Union parties to join together at the next election to beat the SNP.
He told the Daily Record that Scottish Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives should field one candidate in constituency elections.
The SNP branded the plan “desperate”.
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