Swinney Defends Transport Secretary Amid Ferry Safety Row

First Minister John Swinney has acknowledged that his Transport Secretary, Stephen Flynn, is not "perfect" as pressure mounts for an investigation into claims that Flynn attempted to conceal his own shortcomings. The controversy centers on Flynn's handling of a safety incident involving the ferry MV Glen Sannox.

In an interview set to air on the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg program, Swinney defended Flynn, who faced scrutiny after a committee hearing regarding a significant leak of flammable gas aboard the MV Glen Sannox last year. The incident, which occurred with 82 passengers on board, involved a faulty valve releasing approximately 700kg of methane gas. Flynn had stated he was unaware of the incident at the time, attributing his lack of awareness to "FaceTiming" his children instead of monitoring news reports.

Following the committee appearance, Flynn released a statement asserting he had not been briefed by civil servants on the matter. However, information later emerged indicating that officials had indeed sent details to Flynn's office prior to the committee meeting. A briefing document released via a freedom of information request showed that Flynn's office was contacted about the story twice in the half-hour preceding the meeting.

Swinney expressed confidence in Flynn, stating that the Transport Secretary "recognized that he should have been across an issue to be in front of the transport committee and he remedied that right away." He added, "Nobody's perfect, nobody's infallible."

Opposition parties have called for a standards probe into Flynn's actions. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton criticized Swinney's stance, saying, "If Swinney thinks this is acceptable, it tells you everything about the standards he is prepared to tolerate." Hamilton argued that Flynn's handling of the gas leak and the unanswered questions about his prior knowledge raise serious concerns about ministerial accountability. "Taxpayers have forked out a fortune for these ferries and deserve the truth, not another SNP whitewash," she added.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay urged Flynn to "do the right thing and refer himself for investigation to the independent advisers to the Ministerial Code." Reform transport spokesman Graham Simpson suggested Flynn was on "a shoogly peg" and that the situation "reeks of a cover-up."

Transport convener Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats, who had initially raised the ferry issue with Flynn, stated that proof of briefing from officials had emerged, making denial of the truth pointless.

Flynn, however, responded on social media that the freedom of information request "confirms I was not briefed." He also commented that if he had known about the incident, he would have provided a better response at the time, acknowledging that his initial answer was not acceptable and that he was frustrated by it.

The construction of the MV Glen Sannox and its sister ship, MV Glen Rosa, at Ferguson Marine has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. The initial cost for both vessels was estimated at roughly £97 million, but has since escalated to over £400 million, with the project experiencing more than five years of delays.

Flynn, who was previously considered a potential candidate for First Minister, has seen his reputation impacted by his handling of the economy, tourism, and transport brief in his early months in the role. Earlier this year, he also resigned as an MP for Aberdeen South to focus on his Holyrood duties, a decision that preceded the SNP losing the crucial by-election for that seat to the Scottish Conservatives.