An outgoing Labour MSP has accused the Scottish parliament of showing more compassion for the Duke of Edinburgh than people who lost their lives to coronavirus.
Neil Findlay, who is stepping down at May’s election, had pushed for a special session to take place at Holyrood about the transfer of patients from hospitals into care homes to coincide with its recall to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh.
He reacted angrily to his request being refused by Ken Macintosh, the presiding officer. Findlay said: “It seems only one older person’s death is important to the Scottish parliament.”
He also submitted a parliamentary motion, which he said had been rejected because the office of the clerk was closed. Parliament is in recess in the run-up to the election.
Last week Jeane Freeman, the health secretary, admitted that the SNP administration failed to take the “right precautions” to ensure elderly people transferred from hospital to care homes to free up beds for Covid-19 patients would be safe.
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Under questioning about how 3,000 care home residents had died from coronavirus, Freeman, who is retiring at the election, said that ministers had failed to adequately understand the social care sector.
“We didn’t take the right precautions to make sure that older people leaving hospital going into care homes were as safe as they could be and that was a mistake,” she told Political Thinking, a BBC podcast.
In the early stages of the pandemic 900 people were transferred untested from hospitals to care homes. Fears had been raised that this had, in some cases, introduced the virus.
In a letter to Findlay, Macintosh said: “The parliament is being recalled, in line with other UK legislatures, to allow members to pay their respects to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. As discussed at yesterday’s parliamentary bureau meeting, this will be the only business of the day.
“While I do appreciate your desire to enable members to question the first minister and the cabinet secretary on the matters you raise, the campaign recess arrangements aim to ensure fairness to all candidates standing in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary election.”
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It is understood that Findlay did not approach any of Holyrood’s business managers, representatives from each party who decide on what debates and statements will take place, to ask that they push for the care homes discussion during the meeting.
