What's happened
Lord Hardie's report criticizes John Swinney's role in the Edinburgh trams project, which cost over £800 million.
Why it matters
The Edinburgh trams project was plagued by avoidable failures and mismanagement, resulting in significant financial losses. The criticism of John Swinney's role raises questions about accountability and transparency in government projects.
What the papers say
The Times says that Lord Hardie's report sharply criticized John Swinney's role in the Edinburgh trams project, while The Independent reports that Transport Secretary Mairi McAllan criticized the cost and length of the inquiry. The Scottish Conservatives have called on Swinney to make a personal statement in parliament to address the accusations.
How we got here
The Edinburgh trams project, running from the airport to the city center, faced numerous failures and cost overruns. The Scottish government, Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE), and Edinburgh City Council were all involved in the project.
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Andrew Rutherford Hardie, Baron Hardie, PC, QC is a former Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and a former Lord Advocate, the country's senior Law Officer.
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John Ramsay Swinney is a Scottish politician serving as Deputy First Minister of Scotland since 2014 and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills since 2016.
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Màiri Louise McAllan is a Scottish politician serving as Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform since May 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party, she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale since 2021. McAllan
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The Scottish National Party is a Scottish nationalist and social-democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence within the European Union, with a platform based on civic nationalism.