Spads being offered six-figure salaries as cost of advisers soars
BILL CLAIM Spads being offered six-figure salaries as cost of advisers soars
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SNP chiefs were accused of making a 'sleekit' bid to use the Holyrood by-election as cover to sneak out the soaring costs of their special advisers.
Figures published by the Nats Government reveal that 17 Spads - political appointees hired to support ministers - were in post as of May 7 this year.
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Deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party Jackie Baillie at the count for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election
Of those, one was earning a salary between £108,781 and £116,435, while seven were in a pay band of between £84,983 and £97,644, while a further nine Spads were earning between £71,393 and £78,719.
The total cost of special advisers employed during the financial year for 2024-2025 was a whopping £1.7million.
A request for the information was submitted by a backbench SNP MSP on the day of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on June 5, with a response provided by minister Jamie Hepburn the following day.
The move has prompted accusations from political rivals of using the by-election as an opportunity to 'sneak' out the figures while journalists focused on coverage of the vote.
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: 'Scots are sick of footing the bill for an SNP government that is failing to deliver.
'This sleekit attempt to sneak these figures out during a by-election won't hide the fact the SNP cannot be trusted with taxpayers' money.'
And Scottish Tory shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy added: 'The SNP have wasted a shameful amount of taxpayers' money on their army of spin doctors.
'You'd be forgiven for thinking John Swinney snuck out these bombshell figures on a day when people's minds were elsewhere.'
The number of Spads fell to 17 over the past year, with 19 having been in post prior to May 7 this year - three of whom were earning salaries of over £108,781.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Due to the appointment of a new First Minister in May 2024, there were several changes to the special adviser team. The number and total cost of special advisers reduced in comparison to the previous year.'
Scottish Labour's shock win in Hamilton stuns establishment as SNP face 'false' campaign blast
But, Scottish Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie MSP hit out: 'The SNP are investing more effort in making excuses for their failures in government.'
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