Just crass! SNP cash in on Covid crisis with party logo face masks
THE SNP has launched a range of branded face coverings – labelled by rivals as a ‘crass’ bid to cash in on the Covid crisis that has claimed more than 4,000 lives in Scotland.
Despite Nicola Sturgeon accusing Boris Johnson of politicising the pandemic last week, her party is now encouraging people to wear masks bearing the SNP logo.
The party has produced eight different designs of masks and face coverings – all of which can be bought online, with the profits directly funding the SNP.
They include two masks with the SNP logo, one with a saltire, a fourth in SNP tartan and another with the word Yes – despite there being no independence referendum on the horizon.
Each will cost the SNP’s most loyal supporters £8, with the proceeds going to party coffers, to fund campaigns and pay salaries of office holders, such as Ms Sturgeon’s husband, the SNP chief executive Peter Murrell.
There are also three types of multipurpose ‘headwear’, which can also be worn as a scarf or a hat or else used to cover the mouth and nose – one with ‘Scottish N Proud’ written across it, another with SNP in big letters, and a third in party tartan – all for £14 each.
However, the decision to try to sell branded masks to help prevent the spread of Covid triggered a backlash yesterday.
Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: ‘A few days ago Nicola Sturgeon complained about politicising the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Now they’re hawking SNP face masks. These masks are crass and in bad taste.’
A Tory spokesman added: ‘This is predictably crass behaviour from the SNP. They really will stop at nothing to promote their shameless Nationalist agenda.’
A spokesman for the Scottish Lib Dems said: ‘This country would be better off by putting all our efforts into helping build a recovery from the virus rather than trying to make a buck off the back of it.’
There was also an angry response on social media.
Craig Harrow, former Lib Dem candidate in Ross, Skye and Lochhave aber, tweeted: ‘If this is for real, it’s appalling.’
Ged Killen, former Labour MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, added: ‘The party of government making face masks mandatory and then cashing in on it.
‘A few months ago people were dying in care homes that couldn’t source face masks, now you can buy a branded one and help fund the SNP? It’s just crass.’ There been 4,193 deaths linked to Covid while unemployment has soared by 15,000 – at a faster rate than elsewhere in the UK.
The Scottish Government has also been accused of covering up a February outbreak at a Nike conference in Edinburgh and allowing hundreds of hospital patients to be discharged to care homes without being tested.
Last week, the Prime Minister pledged the UK would ‘bounce back stronger together’ during a visit to Scotland, and highlighted the work of the Treasury, in supporting thousands of jobs, and the British armed forces.
However, Ms Sturgeon hit back saying it would be wrong to use the loss of thousands of lives to support a ‘pre-existing political case we want to make’.
An SNP spokesman said: ‘Just like football clubs and many others, we’ve launched our own branded face coverings.
‘We would encourage everyone to help suppress the virus by following the guidance on face coverings.’
‘They’ll stop at nothing to promote agenda’