£1.6m goodbye for the 34 standing down

MORE than £1.6million of taxpayers’ money is set to be handed out in ‘golden goodbyes’ to the 34 MSPs who stood down from Holyrood at the election.

Among the most notable politicians not seeking re-election are Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, 67, former Tory leader Ruth Davidson, 42, and veteran former Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray, 63.

In total, 14 Nationalist MSPs are standing down, as well as nine Labour MSPs, seven Scottish Tories, one Green and one Lib Dem. Two independents – both former Nationalists implicated in sleaze scandals – have also received pay-offs to stand down.

Shamed former Finance Minister Derek Mackay, 43, sent a string of text messages to a 16-year-old boy inviting him to events and calling him ‘cute’.

Mark McDonald, 40, continued as an independent candidate in 2018 despite having been found to have sexually harassed a woman when he sent a lewd message referencing a sex act.

Both Mr Mackay and Mr McDonald were forced to resign from the Scottish Government and lost the SNP whip following the scandals.

Nine retiring MSPs started out at Holyrood in 1999 – four Labour and five Nationalists.

The estimated cost to the taxpayer of the MSPs stepping down is £1,654,730, in line with the Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act of 2009, whereby MSPs who stand down or lose at a Holyrood election are given between six and 12 months’ salary with an initial £30,000 being untaxed.

Any MSPs standing down or who lost their seat will get at least £32,235. Those with more than six years’ service get extra according to their time in Holyrood, up to a maximum of £64,470, equal to a full year’s salary, with Cabinet Secretaries getting extra £12,000 grants for loss of office.

Nationalist MSPs are due to get £816,620 in handouts, while Scottish Labour MSPs are expected to receive more than £558,740. Scottish Tory MSPs are in line for least £279,370, while Green MSP John Finnie, who was previously a Nationalist, is expected to get nearly £54,000.

Mr Mackay and others who served more than ten years are expected to get £53,725, while Mr McDonald is expected to receive £42,980 for eight years’ continuous service.

Cabinet Secretaries Aileen Campbell, Roseanna Cunningham and Mike Russell are all entitled to maximum MSP resettlement grants of £64,470, as well as grants for loss of ministerial office of £12,112, making £76,582 each in total, while Health Secretary Jeane Freeman is set for £44,347.