What was Michael Matheson actually doing ?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

On 14/11/2023 at 18:47, DeeTillEhDeh said:

I have to agree.

It is incredibly easy to rack up roaming charges if no cap is in place.

Yes, he should have been more aware - but so should those who didn't set a cap. 

Yes, he should have just offered to pay in the first place - but did so eventually - that is the one thing he should be criticised for - but those throwing stones should be wary of the glass houses they are in.

Why asking to see the ipad? If it were government provided then it will have been secure, and also limited in what it could be used for in terms of browsing. I actually do believe he was using it for work-related purposes - I know several MPs, ex-MPs  MSPs and ex-MSPs who always did some work on holiday - it's part and parcel of the job.

If you are going to have a real go at Matheson then there are far more important issues he can be scrutinised on - especially in his previous roles as Transport Secretary and Justice Secretary - and now his current role as Health Secretary.

Nah i think there is a massive integrity issue now and he has to go. 

1 hour ago, houston_bud said:

Toni Guigliano

Uft a man so bad as a candidate he couldnt beat the sitting labour msp who shut the local a&e in a constituency that voted yes. Hes also a complete snowflake who cannot take criticism. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

1 hour ago, Left Back said:

Clearly the hotspot story has been fabricated to head off any questions about how his kids have access to his parliamentary device.

Next question is why has he given them hotspot access to data that the taxpayer is paying for?

He's lying about the whole thing and whichever way you look at it even if you believe it was his kids and not him he's still at fault for giving them any kind of access to taxpayer funded devices/data.

He's made it look like he didn't have access to his hotspot - yet he would have to know to set that up in the first place.

I genuinely don't know why he just didn't pay the bill in the first place why he didn't just admit that it had been for personal use - because he's just building a lie on another lie.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

10 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Nah i think there is a massive integrity issue now and he has to go. 

Uft a man so bad as a candidate he couldnt beat the sitting labour msp who shut the local a&e in a constituency that voted yes. Hes also a complete snowflake who cannot take criticism. 

The integrity issue really comes from thst BS statement today.  Up to that point I think a lot of people would have given him the benefit of the doubt. 

Now? Absolutely not.

[Peil]

9 minutes ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

He's made it look like he didn't have access to his hotspot - yet he would have to know to set that up in the first place.

I genuinely don't know why he just didn't pay the bill in the first place why he didn't just admit that it had been for personal use - because he's just building a lie on another lie.

Cos he knew the missus would toe his baws after he telt her it was a works one and he (sorry the weans) were fine using it

[Leith Green]

44 minutes ago, Molotov said:

What a slimy excuse of a man. That statement with all the pauses for “emotional” impact are a load of bollocks. 

That iPad is business/parliamentary equipment.

It should never be used for anything other than that purpose.

Did this MSP initially try and claim this as a valid expense?

That is fraud. 

Get this p***k investigated by the police and sacked from his position immediately. 

 

I think you are being a wee bit dramatic here.

I have had multiple company devices over the years (phones, iPads, Blackberries etc etc) and our IT people have always said "you can use it for personal use, as the data contract has been paid for", the only caveat they had was that if you watch porn or illegal stuff you WILL be fired, so caveat emptor etc.

Most of us eventually got our own phones as we didnt want them snooping on our personal lives.

It wont be much different for these politicians and as its a provided iPad, there is no "expense fiddling" involved.

What he did wrong was using it abroad with the old SIM card (whether he used it or his family is irrelevant, the "secure" govt stuff will be password protected anyway, all the kids did was access the fitba on the browser) when he was actually told about this issue.

He has been a total fud, and in industry he would simply pay the bill and be laughed at on the Christmas piss up.

As hes a politician, he will probably have to resign (unless he is a Tory Lord or Baroness, in receipt of £millions for fraudulent PPE contracts, but of course that is totally different........)

[Soapy FFC]

When will politicians learn that it’s just better to admit right from the off that they made a mistake, apologise, and then make amends by paying the bill. It’s not like there is any precedent of politicians digging a major hole after a fairly minor, in the scheme of things, balls up. As has been said, it’s rarely the actual act that brings a politician down, but the way they deal with it afterwards.

[Leith Green]

1 minute ago, Soapy FFC said:

When will politicians learn that it’s just better to admit right from the off that they made a mistake, apologise, and then make amends by paying the bill. It’s not like there is any precedent of politicians digging a major hole after a fairly minor, in the scheme of things, balls up. As has been said, it’s rarely the actual act that brings a politician down, but the way they deal with it afterwards.

Problem is, it is the initial act - I hadnt read the recent developments, and if hes lied about using it as a hotspot then hes (rightly) going to be toast.

I have always wondered if there is a difference in benefits (pension, etc) if they resign or are booted?

[DeeTillEhDeh]

6 minutes ago, Leith Green said:

I think you are being a wee bit dramatic here.

I have had multiple company devices over the years (phones, iPads, Blackberries etc etc) and our IT people have always said "you can use it for personal use, as the data contract has been paid for", the only caveat they had was that if you watch porn or illegal stuff you WILL be fired, so caveat emptor etc.

Most of us eventually got our own phones as we didnt want them snooping on our personal lives.

It wont be much different for these politicians and as its a provided iPad, there is no "expense fiddling" involved.

What he did wrong was using it abroad with the old SIM card (whether he used it or his family is irrelevant, the "secure" govt stuff will be password protected anyway, all the kids did was access the fitba on the browser) when he was actually told about this issue.

He has been a total fud, and in industry he would simply pay the bill and be laughed at on the Christmas piss up.

As hes a politician, he will probably have to resign (unless he is a Tory Lord or Baroness, in receipt of £millions for fraudulent PPE contracts, but of course that is totally different........)

Three separate lies to Parliament are likely to do for him.  Lying that his ipad was not for personal use, lying again today that it was his bairns using his hotspot and lying once more that he didn't know about this until after his initial lie.

[Leith Green]

2 minutes ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

Three separate lies to Parliament are likely to do for him.  Lying that his ipad was not for personal use, lying again today that it was his bairns using his hotspot and lying once more that he didn't know about this until after his initial lie.

Aye, I hadnt seen the latest developments - you are right, I would think.

What a fanny - mind you, Falkirk so...........

[alta-pete]

27 minutes ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

The integrity issue really comes from thst BS statement today.  Up to that point I think a lot of people would have given him the benefit of the doubt. 

Now? Absolutely not.

If the integrity is there in the first place, no one needs the ‘benefit of the doubt’.

[Molotov]

Get all MSPs iPad and PC hard drives checked immediately. 

[Trogdor]

I think he's got to go tbh.

Edit - As a parent I would have resigned rather than drag my family into it. If he was protecting his family he would have resigned. This is a shameless move to save his skin.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Trogdor

[HibeeJibee]

Still confronting multiple 'issues' as BBC article summarises:
 

It does not explain the security arrangements for his Holyrood iPad.

Nor does it explain how he convinced himself he could have done that volume of constituency work in order to claim it as a legitimate parliamentary expense.

Mr Matheson has told us his family only fessed up last Thursday which is why he offered to pay back the full amount the following day. However, he was still denying there had been "personal" use of the iPad to reporters on Monday.

Mr Matheson has made clear he was trying to protect his family. The problem is he has now admitted concealing the truth because he thought that was justified, and that could undermine trust.

[superbigal]

1 minute ago, HibeeJibee said:

Still confronting multiple 'issues' as BBC article summarises:
 

It does not explain the security arrangements for his Holyrood iPad.

Nor does it explain how he convinced himself he could have done that volume of constituency work in order to claim it as a legitimate parliamentary expense.

Mr Matheson has told us his family only fessed up last Thursday which is why he offered to pay back the full amount the following day. However, he was still denying there had been "personal" use of the iPad to reporters on Monday.

Mr Matheson has made clear he was trying to protect his family. The problem is he has now admitted concealing the truth because he thought that was justified, and that could undermine trust.

To summarise lying b*****d 

[Shadow Play]

1 hour ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

He's made it look like he didn't have access to his hotspot - yet he would have to know to set that up in the first place.

I genuinely don't know why he just didn't pay the bill in the first place why he didn't just admit that it had been for personal use - because he's just building a lie on another lie.

It certainly makes it looks like he was putting his money first and foremost.  Surely no politician would do that?

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

On 14/11/2023 at 18:47, DeeTillEhDeh said:

 

Why asking to see the ipad? If it were government provided then it will have been secure, and also limited in what it could be used for in terms of browsing. I actually do believe he was using it for work-related purposes - I know several MPs, ex-MPs  MSPs and ex-MSPs who always did some work on holiday - it's part and parcel of the job.

 

Secure to his wee boys and limited to old firm matches.

That's probably why people wanted to see the ipad.

[Peil]

1 hour ago, Leith Green said:

I think you are being a wee bit dramatic here.

I have had multiple company devices over the years (phones, iPads, Blackberries etc etc) and our IT people have always said "you can use it for personal use, as the data contract has been paid for", the only caveat they had was that if you watch porn or illegal stuff you WILL be fired, so caveat emptor etc.

Most of us eventually got our own phones as we didnt want them snooping on our personal lives.

It wont be much different for these politicians and as its a provided iPad, there is no "expense fiddling" involved.

What he did wrong was using it abroad with the old SIM card (whether he used it or his family is irrelevant, the "secure" govt stuff will be password protected anyway, all the kids did was access the fitba on the browser) when he was actually told about this issue.

He has been a total fud, and in industry he would simply pay the bill and be laughed at on the Christmas piss up.

As hes a politician, he will probably have to resign (unless he is a Tory Lord or Baroness, in receipt of £millions for fraudulent PPE contracts, but of course that is totally different........)

In industry if I ran up a bill like that and claimed it was a legit expense, then it came out it wasn't, I'd be fired.

[Leith Green]

Just now, Peil said:

In industry if I ran up a bill like that and claimed it was a legit expense, then it came out it wasn't, I'd be fired.

He didn't claim it as an expense, you are missing the point.

[alta-pete]

Having seen the statement on the news I’m here to call baws. 

He knew damn fine his kids used the iPad and then when the bill has arrived at parliament he’s just gone ‘fuqdat, I’m no’ paying that!!’, he’s gone home, given the kids a bollocking and then hoped it’d all go away. 

Inconveniently, it’s been questioned, he’s arrogantly doubled down on it, expecting his ‘authority’ to be enough to quash any further awkwardness, rinse and repeat two or three times over and now here we are.  

The sad fact is he’ll probably not survive it and he’ll forever blame his kids for costing him his career. In truth, all he had to do was ‘fess up, pay the extras, take a slap for using the iPad inappropriately and everyone moves on. 

[Left Back]

2 minutes ago, Leith Green said:

He didn't claim it as an expense, you are missing the point.

He did.  He said he would pay £3k of it out of his expenses budget.

That’s splitting hairs anyway.