MacAskill to survive as MSPs back off key vote

[This is the headline over David Maddox's report on yesterday's Scottish Parliament sitting in today's issue of The Scotsman. The following are excerpts.]

Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill is set to survive the storm of controversy over the release of the Lockerbie bomber after it emerged that opposition parties had backed off from a vote of no confidence [when the Parliament reconvenes next week].

MSPs have privately admitted they cannot agree on a such a move, The Scotsman has learned, despite indications over the weekend that they might be willing to see the Scottish Government fall over the issue. (...)

A debate has now been scheduled for next week, when it is likely that Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will join together to show that Mr MacAskill's decision was not supported by the majority of the parliament.

They believe this may go some way to repair the international damage done to Scotland's image. However, they will not force a no-confidence vote. (...)

While there was no sign of American fury over the decision to free Megrahi dissipating, leading figures in civic Scotland rallied to the beleaguered Mr MacAskill's defence.

Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland issued statements to say he had done the right thing.

Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti said: "I personally, and many others in the Catholic community, admired the decision to release al-Megrahi on grounds of compassion.

"The showing of mercy in any situation is not a sign of weakness. Indeed, in this situation, with the pressures and circumstances of the case, it seemed to me a sign of manifest strength."

The Rev Ian Galloway, convener of the Kirk's church and society council, said: "This decision speaks to the world about what it is to be Scottish. One of the key defining marks of a nation is how it treats those who have chosen to hurt it."

There was political support for the justice secretary from outwith his own party. Former Labour first minister Henry McLeish, who is a friend of Mr MacAskill, gave his backing to the decision.

And former presiding officer and Liberal leader Lord David Steel said: "I think most opinion in Scotland is in favour of the decision to release him on compassionate grounds."

In the Holyrood chamber, Labour MSP and former minister Malcolm Chisholm broke ranks with his colleagues and attacked his own leadership over the "politicisation" of the decision. There was also support from the Greens.