Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
SNP in sleekit attempt to bury £1.7m salary cost of party 'spads'
Scottish Daily Express
|June 09, 2025
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.
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.
This story is from the June 09, 2025 edition of Scottish Daily Express.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Scottish Daily Express
Scottish Daily Express
A CALL-UP TO START?
Liam savours Toony’s call at dinner
2 mins
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
SMITH STEPS UP WITH A TON
STEVE SMITH warmed up for the Ashes with 118 for New South Wales in his first innings for two months.
1 min
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Law looks to regain card on winning high
DAVID LAW is aiming to celebrate his return to the main DP World Tour with a season-ending victory.
1 min
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Santander calls for 'clarity' on car loans payouts
SANTANDER UK is delaying reporting its third-quarter earnings amid “uncertainty” over the financial watchdog’s car finance redress scheme.
1 min
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Gray: I nearly lost my wife during her pregnancy
HEALTH Secretary Neil Gray has told MSPs he \"nearly lost\" his wife during pregnancy after \"inaccurate assessments\" were carried out.
1 min
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Finally, a Ross of faith in Jonathan
TIME'S UP FOR TRAITOR
1 mins
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
The miracle in a bottle! Letters from 1916 found
MESSAGES in a bottle written by two Australian First World War soldiers in 1916 have been found more than a century later on their homeland's coastline.
1 mins
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Brolly bad show as feminist champ on 'vandalism charge'
POLICE Scotland have been accused of losing all credibility by possibly charging a feminist champion with vandalism for allegedly breaking a rainbow-coloured umbrella.
3 mins
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Tough choices for a country already squeezed dry...
LET'S play a game of Who Wants to Plug a £40billion Black Hole? Contestants can choose from three thrilling options: raise income tax (boo), slash welfare or squeeze the dwindling number of people with enough means to flee Britain like bats out of hell. These are the unenviable choices facing Rachel Reeves, and none of them is pretty.
3 mins
October 30, 2025
Scottish Daily Express
Suicide bid bus driver killer is jailed for life
A SPURNED lover who murdered a bus driver by deliberately driving into his vehicle during a bungled suicide attempt has been given a life sentence.
2 mins
October 30, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size