John Swinney made a grovelling apology after false claims during a heated row over the financial future of Perth’s Dewar Centre.
The ex-deputy first minister – now an SNP backbencher – corrected the record after insisting money passed to Holyrood for sports facilities was first allocated last October.
Former finance chief Mr Swinney later admitted this was false since the latest round of funding had been announced this March.
During a Holyrood debate, Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden had urged the SNP to give councils cash from Westminster’s Swimming Pool Fund to keep sports venues open.
It comes as fears mount Perth’s Dewars Centre is still at risk despite the ice rink having strong links with Scottish curling legends.
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser warned shutting the rink would signal the “death knell” for the sport’s long association with the sport.
In an initial speech Mr Swinney said he backed the Dewars Centre staying open, but warned government’s face tough funding choices.
Then he claimed Mr Lumsden was “wholly incorrect” when stating the UK Government funding had been issued earlier this year.
Oh dear. It’s not @dlumsden who is ‘wholly wrong’ with his facts here, it’s @JohnSwinney who has had to apologise to Parliament for lying in my Members Debate @ScotParl tonight. So desperate to put down a @ScotTories MSP that he just makes stuff up pic.twitter.com/Z7WqFnEEth
— Murdo Fraser (@murdo_fraser) May 31, 2023
But writing an apology, Mr Swinney said: “I have now realised that I...
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