JOHN Swinney has branded the Conservative Party a “disgusting organisation” after Douglas Ross challenged the First Minister over his ministerial pay.
In April, it was announced that ministers would see their salaries rise by more than £19,000 after the government partially ended a voluntary pay freeze that had lasted 16 years.
Swinney at the time said he would decline to take the rise voluntarily, meaning his pay would remain at £135,605 and not increase to almost £155,000.
However, at Thursday’s FMQs, Ross claimed the First Minister’s pay had increased after submitting a Freedom of Information request, with Swinney saying that to the “best of his knowledge” he had not received it.
Swinney said: “I will go and check it, and I'll make it clear this afternoon, I'm very happy to do that.
“I've got no worries about sharing that information because what I've said to the public and to parliament is that I will not take an increase in my MSP salary, and I will not take an increase in my ministerial pay.”
Following Swinney’s reply, Tory MSPs were seen jeering the First Minister, with the Presiding Officer warning Ross that if he continued to interrupt, he would be expelled from the chamber.
Swinney continued: “I think it says something about the depths that the Conservative Party has now reached that they are not prepared to take anything in good faith across this parliamentary chamber.
“The Conservative Party never cease to amaze me about how low they will stoop.
“They are a disgusting organisation.”
Watch as John Swinney clashes with Douglas Ross over his pay in a fiery exchange 🗣️ ‘The Conservative Party never cease to amaze me about how low they will stoop, they are a disgusting organization’ pic.twitter.com/Txd3YwD8Gz
— The National (@ScotNational) May 8, 2025
The voluntary pay freeze for Scottish ministers was introduced under Alex Salmond in 2009 following the global financial crisis and economic downturn.
Scottish ministers' salaries are made up of two elements: their pay as an MSP and a separate ministerial salary reflecting their responsibilities within government.
Swinney reiterated to Ross: “I have decided voluntarily to maintain the freeze on my MSP pay as well as my First Minister's salary.”
Ministers declined to take their full combined pay entitlement during the freeze, with the Scottish Government saying around £2.2 million of public spending was saved as a result.
