The leader of Scottish Labour, Anas Sarwar, has dramatically escalated the political crisis surrounding the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, demanding a criminal investigation into former Scottish Government ministers, including high-profile figures such as Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney, over alleged systemic failures linked to complications at the flagship facility.
Mr. Sarwar characterized the ongoing issues and alleged mismanagement at the QEUH as “the biggest scandal in the history of the Scottish Parliament.” Speaking to BBC Scotland News, the Labour leader asserted that the actions or inactions of those responsible constituted a “criminal act” and insisted that those implicated “have to be investigated” by legal authorities.
Unprecedented Demand for Criminal Probe
The QEUH, intended as a state-of-the-art medical centre, has been the subject of intense public and political scrutiny following links between construction and maintenance issues and serious patient complications, including infections. The controversy has centred on the oversight provided by ministers during the hospital’s planning, construction, and operational phases.
Mr. Sarwar’s demand specifically targets former ministers who held key portfolios during the relevant period, placing the spotlight directly on former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and former Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary John Swinney, among others who held the Health Secretary position.
The call for a criminal investigation marks a significant escalation from previous demands for public inquiries or political accountability. By framing the alleged failures as a “criminal act,” the Scottish Labour leader is seeking to move the controversy from the realm of political mismanagement into the judicial domain.
Political and Legal Implications
The unprecedented nature of the demand places immense pressure on Scotland’s judicial and political systems. If pursued, a criminal investigation involving former senior government figures would transform the long-running controversy over the hospital’s safety and management into a major legal matter with profound political consequences for the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the legacy of the previous administration.
While the Scottish Government has previously commissioned inquiries into the hospital’s issues, Mr. Sarwar’s insistence on a criminal probe reflects a belief that political accountability mechanisms are insufficient to address the gravity of the alleged failures that have impacted patient safety.
