Boozed-up businessman refused to cough up £40,000 after bizarre John Swinney charity auction bid
Dinner guests were promised a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' of having Mr Swinney as an 'employee for the morning'
UNDER THE HAMMERED Boozed-up businessman refused to cough up £40,000 after bizarre John Swinney charity auction bid
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A BOOZY charity bash guest put in a £40,000 bid to 'hire' John Swinney for a day — then refused to fork out the cash after waking up 'horrified'.
The First Minister had offered to turn up at a workplace as one of the auction lots at the British Business Awards in Edinburgh.
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A guest at the awards put in a bid to 'hire' John Swinney for a day and then refused to fork out the cash
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Police frontman Sting and Boomtown Rats lead singer Bob Geldof with a signed guitar at the event
Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Company owners were told the SNP leader could do anything for them — from 'make the coffee' to 'delivering a speech'.
But insiders say one attendee got carried away and took part in the bidding despite not having funds to pay for the prize.
Last night a senior SNP source explained: 'It seems quite a bit of drink was taken on the night.
'The guy woke up horrified the next day. That has to be the world's worst hangover — you wake up and realise you've bought the First Minister. But you don't want him.
'There was a bit of panic about what to do when it became clear the winning bidder had not been serious.'
Dinner guests were promised a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' of having Mr Swinney as an 'employee for the morning'.
His time with a firm was limited to a maximum of two hours — and the engagement had to take place in Scotland.
Event organisers confirmed the original winner had been found to be 'without the means' to pay for their new staff member.
But after worries that the First Minister would be left on the scrapheap, the second top bidder, Change Waste Recycling, stepped in — and they also honoured the £40,000 hammer price.
Mr Swinney was one of a series of auction lots at the glitzy event, which was hosted by Rob Brydon, star of TV shows Would I Lie to You? and Gavin and Stacey.
It raised £1.2million for homelessness charity Social Bite.
Guests also got the chance to bid for an array of other high-end prizes, including a three-course dinner with Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, plus ten guests, which fetched £27,000.
Guests were serenaded by ex-Police rock legend Sting, who played acoustic versions of his greatest hits, including Roxanne and Every Breath You Take.
Sir Bob Geldof also attended the bash at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
And he launched into an expletive-laden tirade against Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump.
When asked if he was looking forward to his work experience stint at the waste management centre, the First Minister joked: 'I undertake a waste management activity at 6am when I'm running through the streets of Edinburgh trying to keep fit.'
He also confirmed he would not be auctioning himself off to raise party funds for the SNP.
Mr Swinney added: 'I don't think I'll auction my services off to any other organisation but I'm looking forward to this.'
Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn said: 'We are glad to say that Edinburgh-based firm Change Waste Recycling has generously stepped in.
"They are the lucky winners to have John Swinney join them.
"And a very big thanks to the First Minister for being such a good sport and for taking time out of his very busy schedule to help us raise these essential funds for Social Bite.'
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