£20k aid for SNP ‘wrong’ says Sturgeon

NICOLA Sturgeon has admitted it was ‘not appropriate’ for two SNP branches to apply for £20,000 in virus support cash.

Nationalist bosses were yesterday urged to ‘come clean’ on the number of offices that claimed support.

The Arbroath and Montrose branches each made successful business support grant applications to Angus Council last year, both receiving £10,000.

Arbroath councillor and branch treasurer Alex King claimed the rules around the grants did not initially specify that political parties were not entitled to the money.

But Miss Sturgeon said yesterday that use of the business support grants by SNP branches would not ‘be an appropriate use of public money’.

She claimed she was ‘not aware’ of any other branches making claims.

Miss Sturgeon said ten Conservative branch offices in England have also claimed for Covid support money. The

‘Lining the pockets of selfish cause’

Scottish Tories have said the SNP should ‘come clean’ on the number of its party offices which received support grants, alleging other branches were encouraged to ‘play the system’.

Miss Sturgeon said: ‘Do I think it is appropriate? No. As I understand it the rules weren’t broken, but the councils have decided that it is not appropriate, and the money in one case has been paid back and in the other case is in the process of being paid back.

‘That is the right thing to do. I’m not aware of other branches in the SNP.

‘I could give you a list of ten Conservative associations in England that have claimed this money, and I don’t know whether they have paid it back or not.

‘The Tory position on this is somewhat hypocritical.’

Maurice Golden, the Conservative candidate for Angus South, said: ‘This ruse has already resulted in the SNP paying back £20,000 for falsely claiming taxpayers’ money.

‘Now that it has emerged senior Nationalists were actively encouraging local branches to play the system, it’s possible that other SNP outlets will have benefited, too. The SNP need to investigate how widespread this problem is and come clean about how much they claimed.

‘If they won’t come clean, we may need a police investigation to examine if there has been an attempt at fraud here.

‘This cash was designed to help honest businesses through a global pandemic which has cost thousands of lives in Scotland.

‘Instead, the Nationalists used it to line the pockets of their own selfish cause.’

The claims were made last July through Angus Council, which was charged with administering the funds.

But the branches have now been informed that political organisations were not meant to receive the lifeline support – and they must pay it back.

Arbroath West and Letham councillor Mr King said: ‘The rules at the outset did not state the local branch offices of political parties were not entitled to receive business support grant.

‘As the branch treasurer I made an application... based on the rules as they appeared at the time, which was accepted as valid, with a grant of £10,000 being awarded.

‘Last week I received a letter from [Angus Council finance director] Ian Lorimer requesting that the branch repay that £10,000 as we were not entitled to receive it.’

Mr King added: ‘Arrangements to repay the £10,000 were immediately set in motion and... the grant has been repaid by bank transfer as requested.

‘It is a pity these rules regarding political parties were not available when I applied.’