Embattled Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged the public to become "counter-fraud champions" four months after she took up the case of a convicted benefits conman, it emerged on Monday.
The Health Secretary told more than 100 delegates at a conference in November 2008, organised to combat fraud in the NHS, that there should be a "zero-tolerance" approach to fraud within the health service.
However, in July that year she took up the case of Abdul Rauf, a constituent who stole almost £140,000 in benefits from the taxpayer.
Last week it was disclosed that Ms Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow Govan, wrote a letter to a court last month asking the sheriff to consider not imposing a jail sentence on Mr Rauf, who had a previous conviction, when he appeared before him to admit a second fraud.
Now opposition politicans have used the video of the speech, which can be seen here, to claim Ms Sturgeon's position is "untenable".
In her address to open the conference Ms Sturgeon told her audience: "Anyone contemplating fraud against the NHS should be aware that they will be caught, and if they are caught, they will have to face the consequences of their fraudulent actions.
"Fraudsters in any walk of life are opportunistic, tend to be fairly entrepreneurial, and will take the opportunity to exploit any weakness in the organisation they target.
"Let me be clear today about what is a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and to fraudsters. Fraud perpetrated against the NHS is, in my view, a fraud perpetrated against each and every one of us and that is why it is so important to combat it.
"So it does make sense for all of us, in our own ways and in our own roles, to act as counter-fraud champions."
Ms Sturgeon is to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on February 24 defending her actions in the Rauf case.
However, Labour say Ms Sturgeon must now resign. Iain Gray, the Labour leader at Holyrood, said: "How could she possibly have supported Abdul Rauf and what made her do so when she had called publicly for zero tolerance towards convicted fraudsters?
"Nicola Sturgeon has condemned her own actions with her own words. Integrity, credibility and judgment are essential in government and her position is even more untenable."
For an exclusive interview with Abdul Rauf's lawyer, Matthew Berlow, go here.
Rauf, 59, a father-of-five who owns property worth around £600,000, admitted the £80,000 fraud from the Department of Work and Pensions when he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week.
He had already served a four-year sentence for another benefits fraud of £58,624 in 1996, while running an Edinburgh sub-post office. Ms Sturgeon knew about the conviction when she wrote the letter.
A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon described Mr Gray's latest attack on her as "desperate", and added: "It is entirely appropriate and proper for Nicola Sturgeon to represent a constituent when asked to do so, as every MSP should have a duty of care to try to help their constituents."
For more on Nicola Sturgeon's benefit fraudster scandal, go here.
