John Swinney was accused of “desperately trying to cover his back” as it emerged he has alerted independent advisers following claims he misled Holyrood when he claimed scrapping the triple lock would see people “lose their pensions”.
The First Minister has been under pressure to correct the official record at Holyrood after making the claim when he clashed with Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay last week.
The SNP leader’s comments sparked outrage from opposition politicians, who raised concerns that the SNP has “pushed out misinformation” on the matter.
Mr Swinney, in a letter to Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, confirmed he had now alerted the independent advisers – who determine if Scotland’s ministerial code has been breached – to the row.
The fact he’s now been forced to alert the independent advisers looks like he knows he’s in the wrong and is desperately trying to cover his back
The First Minister said the independent advisers would be “able to review this issue and to initiate an investigation … should they feel it is merited”
Adding that he had made the independent advisers “aware of this correspondence”, the First Minister stressed, however, that he is “satisfied that no correction to the parliamentary record is required”.
However, Mr Findlay insisted: “Slippery John Swinney misled Scottish pensioners by peddling flagrant misinformation.”
The Tory added: “The fact he’s now been forced to alert the independent advisers looks like he knows he’s in the wrong and is desperately trying to cover his back.
“I hope the advisers reach the obvious conclusion that Swinney did mislead pensioners and force him to set the record straight.”
Those comments came after a spokesman for the First Minister accused the opposition of “making mischief” on the issue.
Speaking to journalists in a Government briefing on Tuesday, a spokesman for the First Minister accused opposition politicians of playing politics with the issue.
With Prime Minister Andy Burnham having announced plans to axe the triple lock on pensions to help pay for care south of the border, Mr Swinney’s spokesman claimed it was “yet another campaign promise made during the 2014 referendum campaign which has been completely demolished”.
Asked if it was “desperate” for the First Minister to make the claims about pensions in the first place, the spokesman added: “He is not feeling desperate about this matter, I can absolutely assure you, he knows that he’s on the right side of it.”
Speaking later in Holyrood, the First Minister insisted: “The decision by the Prime Minister, which was announced last week, to scrap the triple lock will have a detrimental impact on pensioners in Scotland.
“By applying Scotland’s projected share of the UK state pension age population, the Scottish Government estimates pensioners in Scotland could receive around £1.3 billion less per year by 2039-40, rising to around £4 billion by 2049-50, compared to the current triple lock being maintained.
“This is a real loss of around £2,000 per person per year if they are a pensioner.
“What this demonstrates is an erosion of the pension settlement that was promised as a guarantee to individuals in 2014.
“This is a very clear example of how the union is detrimental to the interests of pensions, pensioners in Scotland are losing out, the future for pensioners is independence.”
But Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said Scots “rightly expect better from their politicians than this”.
“John Swinney’s taxpayer-funded press officers are spinning so hard they must be dizzy,” she said.
“Instead of accepting that they have pushed out misinformation, the SNP are now doubling down on it and trying to deflect by any means necessary.”