Scottish government minister, Lorna Slater, has managed to survive a vote of no confidence tabled by Conservative MSP Liam Kerr. The circular economy minister, and co-leader of the Scottish Greens, has faced heavy criticism for her handling of Scotland’s controversial deposit return scheme in recent months. To make matters worse, hours before politicians voted on Kerr’s motion, Slater was this afternoon forced to admit that the company running the scheme, Circularity Scotland, had appointed administrators.
Though Slater saw off the vote, with 55 MSPs voting for the motion while 68 voted against it, her reputation did not escape unscathed from the rather unedifying debate. The anger at deposit return scheme-related failings radiated from all sides of the chamber. ‘It is not fair for workers to lose their jobs as a result of government decisions,’ said Labour’s Sarah Boyack, citing the problems facing businesses already signed up to the scheme, ‘and for Lorna Slater not to lose hers.’
Kerr accused First Minister Humza Yousaf of having misplaced his confidence in Slater, while Scottish Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton said the scheme’s shortcomings under Slater had cost ‘the trust of the people’.
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