Former FM’ s pension hits a cool £762k

Former Labour first minister Henry McLeish has racked up more than £750,000 in pension payments in return for his year and 13 days in power at Holyrood.

The ex-Central Fife MSP has received £34,000 a year since he quite the top job in 2001 over a financial scandal over the sub-letting of his constituency office in Glenrothes.

McLeish’s huge figure contrasts with that of outgoing SNP first minister Humza Yousaf.

As a result of a rulechange in 2009, he will only get around £2,000 per year once he turns 65, despite serving an almost identical time in office to Mr McLeish.

The renewed interest in the use of public money comes after inaccurate claims Mr Yousaf was about to receive as much as £52,000 each year.

Mr Yousaf’s term of one year and 40 days, presuming John Swinney is sworn in as expected tomorrow, beats Mr McLeish’s time in office by a matter of weeks.

Since he resigned in November 2001, Mr McLeish, who insisted the scandal dubbed Officegate was a “muddle not a fiddle”, will have received 269 monthly payments from the public purse, totalling just over £762,000.

It is understood the payment is likely to have increased with inflation.

He previously resisted calls to turn the pension down.

In 2016 he defended accepting the payment, saying: “That was the rules and regulations at the time and I have no further comment to make.”

Mr McLeish – who could not be reached for comment – will also have access to more pensions, including one from his time as Central Fife MP and another as a former MSP.

He may also benefit from a UK ministerial pension after his short stint in the Scotland Office, as well as any retirement benefits accrued during his time as leader of the then Fife Regional Council between 1982 and 1987.

Former first ministers were previously entitled to an annual payment roughly equal to 50% of their salary.

Both Alex Salmond and Jack McConnell benefit from similar pension arrangements, but the rules were changed in 2009.

Holyrood bosses issued a correction after Mr Yousaf ’s potential pension was incorrectly reported by some media titles.

The new rules mean both he and Nicola Sturgeon will receive an inflation-linked pension of either 1/40th or 1/50th of their salary for each year they were in office, depending on the scheme they opted for.

Given Mr Yousaf served just over 12 months, officials suggest his first minister’s pension will be around £166 each month, payable from age 65.

Ms Sturgeon will be entitled to around £20,000, or 20% of her final salary, each year after she turns 65.

ROLE PAY: Henry McLeish enjoys a handsome former FM pension of £34,000 per year.