Swinney backs Flynn as ferry leak briefing prompts calls for probe
John Swinney has defended Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn amid calls for an investigation into his account of a methane leak on the ferry MV Glen Sannox. Flynn told a Holyrood committee he had not known about the incident before questioning, but a later-released briefing document showed his office had been contacted twice before the meeting.
Swinney said Flynn accepted he should have been prepared and had addressed the matter, adding that nobody was perfect. The leak involved 700kg of flammable methane while 82 passengers were aboard in June 2025. Opposition parties have called for a standards probe, while Flynn says the document confirms he personally was not briefed; the two ferries’ combined cost has risen from about £97 million to more than £400 million.
- Swinney says he retains confidence in Flynn.
- Officials contacted Flynn’s office twice before the committee hearing.
- Opposition parties are calling for a standards investigation.
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The MV Glen Sannox is one of two ferries built for routes serving Scotland’s islands. The project has faced long delays and rising costs: the pair were initially expected to cost about £97 million, but their combined cost has since exceeded £400 million.
In June 2025, the Glen Sannox suffered a methane leak while 82 passengers were on board. Methane is a flammable gas, so the incident raised questions about passenger safety and how officials handled information about it.
John Swinney is Scotland’s First Minister, and Stephen Flynn is the Scottish Government’s transport secretary. Holyrood is Scotland’s Parliament; its committees question ministers, and opposition parties can ask the parliamentary standards process to examine whether a minister’s conduct met expected standards.
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The case for
Swinney’s defence can be read as a proportionate response to a lapse in preparation rather than evidence of deliberate deception: Flynn says he personally was not briefed, and an office being contacted does not by itself show what he knew. If he has acknowledged he should have been better prepared and addressed the matter, supporters may argue that this can be handled through political accountability without a formal standards investigation.
The case against
The case for a standards probe is that Flynn told a parliamentary committee he had not known about a serious methane leak, while his office had reportedly been contacted twice beforehand. Given the safety implications for passengers and the substantial public cost of the ferries, opponents may argue that an independent investigation is needed to establish what information reached him and whether his account met the standards expected of a minister.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “‘He’s not perfect’ says Swinney amid Flynn ferry gas escape row”.