Tory anger as Swinney 'junket' to Africa costs over £40,000

JOHN Swinney took 10 Scottish Government staff on his junket to Africa earlier this year, with the trip costing the taxpayer over £40,000.

- BY DOUGLAS DICKIE

The First Minister was accused of acting like he was the "president of an independent state" as he left a number of crises in Scotland for a week-long visit to Zambia and Malawi in October.

Ironically, part of the trip focused on dentistry in Malawi at a time Scots struggle to see an NHS dentist back home. And the SNP leader was also called out for talking about gender inequality when his party has been accused of trying to strip women's rights back home.

The cost of the Africa trip has now emerged, with civil servants estimating a spend of £40,305. The actual figure will be higher as that did not include "subsistence costs".

Documents obtained by the Scottish Conservatives under freedom of information legislation also confirm the First Minister wanted a "core group" of 10 staff.