SNP in sleekit attempt to bury £1.7m salary cost of party 'spads'

THE Scottish Government has been accused of a "sleekit" bid to bury the £1.7million bill for their special advisers by releasing the figures in the wake of the Hamilton by-election.

- Ben Borland

The SNP suffered a crushing defeat when three-time loser Katy Loudon saw a majority of 4,500 overturned by Scottish Labour's Davy Russell in the safe seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.

But while the story was dominating the headlines in Scotland on Friday morning, the Nats campaign chief Jamie Hepburn pushed out the latest massive annual cost for the administration's 17 "spads".

Suspicions

It shows that one of John Swinney's spin doctors was taking home a salary between £108,781 and £116,435. Seven Nats aides were in the £84,983 to £97,644 wage band with a further nine earning between £71,393 and £78,719.

Ministers are paid £109,584 a year.