The former Scottish finance minister joked about drunkenly chairing a conference at the SNP party convention after being “banned from karaoke” because Nicola Sturgeon said he ‘stank of booze’.
In an recorded interview with Holyrood Magazine at the party’s 2019 Autumn conference in Aberdeen, Derek Mackay recalled the incident which led him to be banned from taking part in the singing event by the First Minister during his time as business convener.
Mackay resigned as the Scottish Government’s finance chief last week following revelations he sent a slew of inappropriate messages to a 16-year-old boy.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon 'banned shamed Derek Mackay from drinking at SNP conferences'
It was later claimed Nicola Sturgeon Mackay from going out drinking during conferences due to concerns over his behaviour, with one SNP source revealing to The Herald he was ‘highly enthusiastic’ at the party’s infamous “conference karaoke” social events.
However, in a short clip from the interview - published on Holyrood’s YouTube page - Mackay claimed to have chaired a business conference while “absolutely reeking,” joking that “nobody would notice a thing”.
After being asked about his reputation for enjoying the event, Mr Mackay said: “I am the only person to be banned from the conference karaoke.”
“One year I went, and after the karaoke, I went out and then I came into conference for a prep meeting.
“I went in and the First Minister saw me, and she said: ‘You are stinking of alcohol.’”
“I went: ‘Yep,’ she said, no Derek, you are absolutely reeking.”
Pretending to slur his words, Mackay continues: “You want to know First Minister, you want to know the truth, I think I’m still drunk.”
“She said: ‘You’re going to chair conference in that state,’ I said ‘Yep, and nobody will notice a thing.”
He laughs: “And nobody noticed a thing unless you were on the stage and you were intoxicated from the fumes oozing out of my body.”
“So I was banned from the conference karaoke for as long as I was business convener and I’m no longer business convener so my singing career is coming back tonight.”
READ MORE: Shock as FM's office admits no Mackay resignation letter
He then states he would not be attending the karaoke party later that night as he had media duties to perform the next morning, joking that he was being “responsible”
Mackay stood down from his role on the morning of the Scottish budget following allegations published in The Sun newspaper.
Opponents have since called for him to resign from his role as an MSP.
The clip can be viewed here.
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