SNP politicians are isolated at Holyrood after demands from all other parties for an independent investigation into the NHS Tayside breast cancer scandal.
In parliament on Tuesday, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf was accused of repeating “arrant nonsense” as he again side-stepped calls from patients, families and former board members for an inquiry.
The growing pressure for answers came one week after The Courier published a feature-length documentary revealing alarming new evidence in a crisis affecting the lives of hundreds of women.
In a series of exclusive video interviews, we explored the lack of evidence around government claims that patients were put at an increased risk of having their cancer return.
And on Tuesday morning, we revealed allegations of a “stitch-up” over alterations made to a controversial report into the scandal.
Nicola Sturgeon faces fresh pressure
Labour and Conservatives have already called for an independent investigation into the wider crisis.
Now Liberal Democrats and Greens are joining their calls.
Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said The Courier’s own investigation into the scandal had “exposed the shoddy treatment of patients and their families, as well as the clumsy cover-ups that came after”.
He added: “It’s time that this was taken out of the hands of health authorities.
“Patients need an independent public inquiry to provide them with some answers.”
The Scottish Greens also support the principle of an investigation.
North East MSP Maggie Chapman said that while Mr Yousaf had indicated he does not believe a public inquiry is necessary, “I think many of us disagree with him”.
Urgent question
It was the latest twist on Tuesday morning that caused Mr Yousaf to come to parliament and answer questions from MSPs.
A controversial report was pulled from the NHS Tayside website last month and then re-uploaded with its authors hidden hours after concerns were raised over a possible conflict of interest.
VIDEO: Watch our breast cancer scandal documentary here
A previous report by the same body was scrapped in 2019 over another conflict of interest complaint.
Bosses claim they removed the names because of data protection issues.
Mr Yousaf said he would “reject” claims of a cover-up and added that while the names were deleted, the rest of the report remained the same.
But North East MSP Michael Marra, who raised the question at Parliament, demanded to know who ordered that they be hidden from the public.
He said there is nothing in General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules that mean author names have to be removed and insisted it is “vital” the public know who produced the report given it is the second conflict of interest allegation.
Mr Marra said: “The names were removed after that conflict of interest was put to NHS Tayside.
“On whose authority did this happen and who ordered that the names of the authors be hidden from the public?”
“There is obviously nothing in GDPR regulations that mandates the removal of authors of reports.
“To say otherwise is arrant nonsense.”
Conversation