Mackay claims £1.4k more expenses

SHAMED former minister Derek Mackay has continued to claim expenses, racking up more than £1,400 worth of spending since September.

The latest Scottish parliament report on MSP expenses shows the ex-SNP finance secretary has sought funds for rent, utilities and trade waste in the spending quarter.

Last week it was disclosed that Mr Mackay had quit the SNP more than a year after it emerged he had been contacting a schoolboy. Despite resigning from government and having the Nationalist whip removed, Mr Mackay stayed on as an independent MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, collecting a salary of £64,000.

Over the period, Mr Mackay has also sought expenses of more than £1 ,000.

Tory MSP Graham Simpson said: ‘Derek Mackay might finally have been quietly dropped by the SNP, but it is clear he has never given a second thought to continue to rake money in from taxpayers.

‘If he had any honour over his behaviour, he would have resigned instantly over a year ago.

‘Instead he has continued to pick up a vast amount of money on the public purse despite not turning up at Holyrood once.’

Mr Simpson added: ‘His complete lack of humiliation and the SNP’s total failure to urgently investigate him is a stain on the democratic process.’

A spokesman for Mr Mackay said: ‘The expenditure complies with Scottish parliament allowance rules and Mr Mackay is focusing on continuing to deal with casework and making representations on behalf of constituents.’