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First Minister quizzes staff after 'stamp fairy' chat's surface in WhatsApp messages

- PAUL HUTCHEON

SNP leader John Swinney has been "assured" no Holyrood-funded stamps have been used to fund his party's General Election campaign.

The First Minister said he is "confident" no public money has been involved after claims a "stamp fairy" existed.

Holyrood chiefs are probing claims first revealed by the Record that SNP staffers discussed using Holyroodfunded stamps for the election.

Leaked messages from an SNP "office manager chat" show a conversation on postage, which can only be used for parliamentary purposes.

Reports yesterday revealed new messages which link Swinney to the row.

Elaine Wylie, who works for Swinney, was asked by Drugs Minister Christine McKelvie's office manager Marianne Paton what she should do with an abundance of postage stamps.

Wylie responded: "The stamp fairy is very useful when it comes to campaigns" and ended the message with a winking emoji with its tongue sticking out.

Paton said: "Hahaha I know, even that won't make a dent in them. I'll whisper the amount I have next time we meet".

Asked about the claims, Swinney said: "I've obviously discussed this with my staff and I've been assured that no parliamentary stamps that have been provided by parliament have been used to support election purposes.

"Obviously the Parliament has said that they're looking into this matter and obviously we will provide parliament with any assistance that they require as they undertake those inquiries."

After being read out the "stamp fairy" message, he said: "We campaign on a regular basis in my capacity as a member of parliament, so we're engaging with the public on a countless range of different issues.