QUESTION Time host Fiona Bruce has been slammed for trying to “pull Stephen Flynn” into the Westminster betting scandal during Thursday night’s programme.
A number of figures have come under scrutiny in the ongoing scandal, with Cabinet minister Alister Jack recently “joking” about placing three bets on the timing of the election.
The Tories have already dropped two candidates who are under investigation for allegedly placing suspicious bets about the date of the election.
Craig Williams and Laura Saunders were both set to stand for the party in the General Election.
At least three more party figures and seven police officers are being investigated, alongside one Labour candidate.
While the issue was being discussed on Question Time on Thursday night, Flynn said he had been left “scunnered” by the news.
“It’s not good enough and you deserve better, and you should demand so much better from your politicians which is why at this election you should vote for people who have strong values and you should vote for what you believe in,” Flynn said.
Bruce then interrupted to ask if this included the people of Scotland “given what’s going on with the SNP at the moment” in terms of the investigation into party finances.
Flynn hit back and said: “I’m not sure there’s an equivalence between the gambling…”
Bruce interrupted once again to say she was not saying it was “equivalent” but that it was about “issues of trust”.
At the end of May, police confirmed they had submitted a report to the Crown Office after Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP, was charged in connection with embezzlement.
The SNP’s Westminster leader (below) said he could not comment on an active police investigation while Bruce said she was trying to make the show relevant to Scotland and Flynn given it was being broadcast from Birmingham and that it was about “issues of trust”.
Flynn continued: “This was the point I was coming on to make, so for this election for people in Scotland but hopefully for people here as well, you should base your decision on what your politician’s views are for the future.
“Now, our vision is very clear. We believe you should have investment in the NHS, we believe you should reject £18 billion of austerity cuts, we believe you should rejoin the European single market, increase migration because it’s good for the economy and ultimately double down on investment in net zero technologies because that’s what the rest of the world is doing.”
A number of figures within the SNP took to Twitter/X to discuss Bruce’s remarks with MSP James Dornan saying: “Jeez I’ve just walked in the door, turned on TV to hear Fiona Bruce pull Stephen Flynn into the betting scandal because… eh I’m still not sure.
“What a pathetic attempt to deflect from the corrupt Tories. She truly is awful.”
Dornan added that although he was aware Bruce had said the SNP weren’t involved in the betting scandal, “her demeanour when she talks to any of us is very revealing”.
Elsewhere, Pete Wishart the SNP’s candidate for Perth and Kinross-shire, commented: “Maybe Fiona Bruce should just answer for Stephen Flynn because she’s not giving him any chance to make any sort of point.
“Quite extraordinary interrupting.”
