Thread by @ScotTories

Watch @Douglas4Moray hold this scandal-ridden SNP Government to account at #FMQs.

👉 Live now on scottishparliament.tv

@Douglas4Moray 💬@Douglas4Moray: "Rules of this Parliament prevent me from asking crucial questions about the scandal over the SNP’s finances.

"So I cannot dwell on this here but I do want to give the First Minister an opportunity to be transparent with my opening question today." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "Last night, the First Minister became the SNP’s treasurer." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "So while this is still a party matter, it is also now a government matter if the First Minister is compromised, if his hands are tied, if the party of government is about to go bankrupt, or if he himself may become involved in the police investigation." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "And yesterday, the Deputy First Minister said: 'Going forward, the governance of the party needs to be about transparency, openness, and people should be able to question about the accounts.'" #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "We agree and believe there are legitimate questions that the Scottish public deserves to know answers to." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "So in the interests of transparency, will Humza Yousaf agree to make a statement to Parliament on the financial scandal engulfing the party of government here in Scotland?" #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "The first words from the First Minister when he stood up were: ‘he was happy to answer the question’.

Then basically refused to do so." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "I was simply asking for a statement and transparency – and I do think it is needed from the First Minister because the secrecy must end." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "But I’m going to move on to one of the matters of substance that the First Minister should be focusing his attention on, instead of his huge distraction within the party.” #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "Last year, an SNP Government agency introduced guidelines that encouraged more lenient sentences for on under 25s, even for some of the worst crimes." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "Does the First Minister fully support that policy, which was brought forward for consultation when he was justice secretary?" #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "A few weeks ago, my party and almost everyone in Scotland was outraged at the case of a 13-year old girl who was raped at a park in Dalkeith.

"Her attacker, Sean Hogg, was found guilty of rape. But he didn’t go to prison." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "All he had to do was carry out 270 hours of unpaid work.

"The judge said if Hogg had committed the crime when he was over 25, he would now be behind bars." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "That confirms the problem here is the sentencing guidelines that were introduced.

"The SNP’s justice system is broken. Will the First Minister fix it?" #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "The First Minister mentioned that he had seen the comments from the victim and her family." #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "The grandfather of the victim said this: 'With this new ruling they've got, any person under 25 can go out and do any crime they want, however horrendous it may be, and there's a good chance they will get a community payback.'" #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "The survivor of the rape said this: 'When I was told he had been found guilty I felt a wave of emotions. I didn't know how to react. I cried, I think I cried with relief.'

"'Now it makes me think, why did I even bother reporting the rape in the first place?'"

💬@Douglas4Moray: "She continues: 'Whoever is in charge of the justice system needs to sort this out: you say you care about victims like me, but how can a serial rapist receive 270 hours community payback?'

"'Why is it ok to rape anyone and not go to jail?'" #FMQs

💬@Douglas4Moray: "The FM seems to be hailing 98% of people convicted of rape going to prison. It should, it must be 100% of rapists going to prison.

Let me repeat the words of the victim as my question to the FM: why is it ok to rape anyone and not go to jail?" #FMQs