Life’s suite at £2,165-a-night Gleneagles

WITH his favourite lottery winners donating another £1million to the SNP, it is perhaps unsurprising Alex Salmond decided to check into Scotland’s most prestigious hotel.

Since Monday he has been staying at Gleneagles – where suites cost up to £2,165 a night – at the party’s expense, and does not plan to leave until after the SNP conference ends tomorrow.

That is despite still having use of taxpayer-funded Bute House in Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission revealed that SNP’s coffers were boosted by £1.5million in donations in July, August and September. However, despite the party’s claims of huge grassroots support, the figures show that £1million came from EuroMillions winners Chris and Colin Weir, with a further £400,000 from another long-time supporter, bus tycoon Sir Brian Souter.

The Weirs, who won £161million in 2011, have almost single-handedly financed both the SNP and the Yes Scotland independence campaign, donating £6.5million in total. The Electoral Commission’s annual accounts previously showed they provided 5 per cent of the party’s financial support in 2013-14

Sir Brian also gave £1million during the summer.

Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Tory deputy leader, said: ‘This makes a mockery of the idea the SNP is a grass-roots organisation. The facts are the party and the associated Yes campaign were bankrolled by a couple who picked their lucky numbers and a businessman with whom the party is almost too embarrassed to be associated.’

The SNP declined to comment on Mr Salmond’s stay at Gleneagles, which hosted the Ryder Cup earlier this year.

Eben Wilson, of TaxpayerScotland, said: ‘It just shows us the privilege the political class continue to enjoy while talking about fairness and equality.’

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘These latest revelations makes the total donations to the SNP from Brian Souter and the Weirs over £5million. This forever puts to bed the myth of the SNP as a grassroots movement. The reality is now clear that they are largely funded by a few wealthy donors.’