Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate for Midlothian Keith Cockburn has slammed SNP MSPs for failing to back the sanctions imposed by parliament on disgraced former SNP health secretary Michael Matheson.
Mr Cockburn has also hit out at SNP and Green MSPs for failing to back a Scottish Conservative motion calling for Michael Matheson to finally do the decent thing and resign as an MSP.
The SNP MSP for Falkirk West has been hit with a 27-day suspension for Parliament and a 54-day freeze in his salary after claiming £11,000 of taxpayers' money for an iPad roaming charges bill.
An amendment put forward by the SNP to the Standards Committee's motion criticised the process that resulted in the punishment and their MSPs refused to vote for sanctions.
SNP and Green MSPs then rejected Scottish Conservative-led calls for Michael Matheson to resign and allow a by-election to be held in his constituency on July 4, the same day as the General Election.
Keith has described the actions of SNP and Green MSPs as "shameful" and insisted that in any other line of work, Michael Matheson would have lost his job.
Keith added that voters can send a clear message to John Swinney and the SNP over their handling of this scandal by voting Scottish Conservative on July 4 and helping to beat the SNP.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate Keith Cockburn said: "It is shameful that John Swinney and his SNP MSP colleagues continue to back their friend Michael Matheson.
"The disgraced former health secretary claimed £11,000 of taxpayers' money for an iPad bill and lied to the public, parliament and press about it. In any other line of work, he would have been sacked but the SNP now don't even back sanctioning him.
"Voters in Midlothian are rightly furious about John Swinney's handling of this scandal.
"The Greens may have left government but they are still happy to back the SNP when their nationalist friends need it, rather than backing our call for Michael Matheson to resign.
"He should do the right thing and resign. Polls show that the public believe he should do so and voters in Midlothian will be dismayed that he is brazenly refusing to go.
"Voters in Midlothian can send a clear message on July 4th to John Swinney and the SNP over their backing for Michael Matheson by voting Scottish Conservative and helping to beat the SNP."
