Justice Secretary Angela Constance Faces Scrutiny Over Comments on Grooming Gangs Inquiry
Justice Secretary Angela Constance acknowledged that the controversy over her comments about a grooming gangs expert could have been handled better, emphasizing that her actions were made in good faith.
Independent advisers have indicated their intent to launch an investigation into Constance for a possible breach of the ministerial code, with First Minister John Swinney potentially subject to the probe as well.
Professor Alexis Jay clarified that Constance's remarks did not refer to inquiries in Scotland but were related to an inquiry context in England and Wales. Jay's emails revealed she communicated her position and suggested that ministers should focus on collecting reliable data on grooming gangs. Although a clarification was issued, it was not included in the official Holyrood chamber record.
The controversy originated when Constance opposed a Conservative amendment to a victims bill that called for a specific grooming gangs inquiry in Scotland; instead, she advocated for improved data collection rather than a Scotland-specific investigation.
A no-confidence vote was brought by the Conservative and Labour parties against Constance but was defeated with support from Green MSPs backing the SNP. The First Minister publicly supported Constance during this episode.
