The SNP has blocked an urgent parliamentary discussion requested by a member of its own party over the sacking of the chief executive of state-owned ferry fiasco shipyard firm Ferguson Marine.
The request to have an urgent question put was made by the SNP MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Stuart McMillan after Ferguson Marine CEO David Tydeman who has been at the centre of continuing concern of the escalating costs of Scotland's ferry fiasco had his contract terminated.
The move came after he told ministers further delays are “likely” over two wildly over budget lifeline ferries.
Ministers have expressed regular concern at increases in costs and delays in the chief executive's quarterly updates.
The Scottish Government has said any more delays are “unacceptable”.
Andrew Miller, the chairman of Ferguson Marine said it needed "strong leadership" to ensure its long-term future.
READ MORE: Ferguson Marine: Ferry fiasco firm chief sacked amidst new delays
Who voted for and against ScotParl debate on ferry fiasco firm sacking
Mr McMillan wanted to raised questions about the sacking but said he was scuppered because parliamentary rules say any request has to be submitted before 10am, while the news of Mr Tydeman's departure came at around 11am.
He told MSPs in requesting an exception be made: "Every member here recognises the importance and significance of the yard and the fact that there has been reporting about that yard for quite some time."
He asked for a motion that the rules be temporarily suspended to allow discusson of the Ferguson Marine development.
But he lost the vote by 55 to 49. Some 25 MSPs did not vote.
Of the 55 who voted against the debate all but one were part of the SNP-Green government. Of those blocking the move 47 were SNP MPs, seven were Greens and one was from the Alba Party.
Those voting to block the move included wellbeing economy secretary Màiri McAllan, transport minister Fiona Hyslop, deputy first minister and finance secretary Shona Robison and ex-First Minster Nicola Sturgeon.
Also adding his name to those who stopped the debate was disgrace-ex transport and health secretary Michael Matheson who insisted he will stay on as an MSP despite breaching Holyrood's code of conduct.
He was back in Scottish Parliament for the first time since resigning from government on February 8 over an £11,000 iPad data roaming bill charged to taxpayers.
READ MORE: Ferguson Marine: Ferry fiasco firm could be privatised in 18 months
Just four other SNP MSPs backed Mr McMillan's motion. They were former business minister Ivan McKee (below), Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn MSP Bob Doris, Cunninghame North MSP Kenneth Gibson and Glasgow Shettleston MSP John Mason.
After the vote Ms Mcallan said: "On a point of order, presiding officer. In respect of the previous vote, I put it on the record that the decision to terminate the contract of the former chief executive officer of Ferguson Marine, including the timing thereof, was entirely for the company’s board. As in respect of all matters concerning Ferguson Marine, I will be pleased to take questions from members at the appropriate time."
The presiding officer, Alison Johnstone responded: "I am sure that the cabinet secretary is aware that, while her comments are now on the record, that is not a point of order."
Costs continue to soar over new ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa being built at the Inverclyde yard, which were due online in the first half of 2018, with one initially to serve Arran and the other to serve the Skye triangle routes to North Uist and Harris, but are at least six years late, with costs expected to be quadruple the original £97m contract. It has been confirmed that both are now to serve Arran.
Glen Sannox, was launched by Nicola Sturgeon nearly seven years ago and is not expected to be ready till July at the earliest.
Glen Rosa was meant to be delivered to CalMac in August 2018, but that is currently scheduled for May 2025.
But the dates of arrival have been constantly in a state of flux as their construction has been plagued by design challenges, cost overruns and delays.
In the midst of the delays and soaring costs, Ferguson Marine under the control of tycoon Jim McColl fell into administration and was nationalised at the end of 2019 with CMAL and the yard's management blaming each other.
Mr Tydeman is being replaced by fourth generation shipbuilder John Petticrew as interim chief executive.
According to Ferguson Marine Mr Petticrew has a "long career in shipbuilding and infrastructure construction with over 40 years of experience, spanning three different continents".
The company is due to submit a new business case for this to the Government by the end of this month that aims to transition the yard away from the delivery of the ferries into projects.
Ministers have been under pressure to rescue Ferguson's with £25m of support after it was revealed that their advisers backed moves to secure the nationalised shipyard's future.
The Scottish Government has withheld financial support for the Port Glasgow yard despite its advisers being in favour of a support package to secure its future.
The board at Ferguson's has stated that a failure to get a committed investment of £25m to support future work casts "significant doubt" on its ability to continue.
And it has placed a question mark over hopes to win a contract from Transport Scotland for the replacement of up to seven ageing ferries vessels serving the Clyde and Hebrides.
In 2022, a number of Ferguson Marine workers who took part in an informal meeting with MSPs praised Mr Tydeman’s leadership and compared him favourably to the shipyard’s previous management, saying he “talked sense”.
But Mr Tydeman was at the centre of further controversy when the Herald revealed last year he got an estimated £20,000 golden hello while standing to gain up to £80,000 in bonus payments.
Ferguson Marine Glasgow (Port Glasgow) chief executive David Tydeman received £1000 a day for just over eight weeks work at the start of his time with the nationalised company thanks to a salary boost.
It led to new concerns about the bonus culture at the shipyard firm delivering two long-delayed ferries which has received over £450m of public money and led to new calls for a public inquiry.
The chairman of FMPG said in the summer of last year that controversial bonuses were expected to continue to be paid - despite the First Minister saying at the end of April, last year he did not expect them to continue.
A secret bonus bill to Ferguson Marine management reached £134,218 over two years, while the two ferries remained undelivered.
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