RUSSELL Findlay has been told to explain how more than £150,000 of taxpayer money was given to firms run by two former Tory spin doctors.
The SNP have said it is at best an “embarrassment” but at worst has the “makings of a scandal”.
The Sunday National first reported on the story yesterday, which found that the Scottish Tories had spent £154,700 on media training in just two years – between March 2022 and March 2024.
An analysis of the Scottish Parliament’s expenses register showed that Gen Comms Limited, which is run by former Tory director of media Ramsay Jones, raked in £118,200 from training the 31 Scottish Tory MSPs, including both “individual” and “group” broadcast training.
Meanwhile Shorthand PR, run by the Scottish Tories’ former head of media Adam Morris, pocketed £26,000.
This funding was raised through contributions from Scottish Tory MSPs' support budgets, which are given to every MSP to help them carry out their official duties.
Meanwhile, Scottish Tory MSP Edward Mountain also paid Shorthand PR a separate total of £10,500 in three separate payments spanning January to March 2024 for “consultancy fees for communications”.
Now, the SNP have said that party leader Russell Findlay has questions to answer.
The party’s MSP for Paisley, George Adam, has called on Findlay to set out:
- What due diligence was undertaken to ensure that the companies run by two former Tory spin-doctors represented value for money?
- What other firms were considered and what was the price difference for their services?
- What consideration did he give to how handing public money to former colleagues would be perceived?
It comes as Findlay has recently pushed for Scotland to have its very own Department for Government Efficiency (Doge).
In February this year, Findlay pledged to set up his own version of Elon Musk's powerful cost-cutting US government department.
The Scottish Conservative leader said the Scottish version of Doge would be tasked with “cutting waste, identifying savings and delivering better value for taxpayers”.
“Russell Findlay has serious questions to answer – he needs to explain how he ensured the two firms which just happen to be run by former Tory spin doctors represented the best deal for the taxpayer,” Adam said.
“Did he even consider any other companies to carry out this work?”
He added: “Unfortunately, the Tories have allowed there to be a perception that they are passing public money on to their pals and Russell Findlay needs to set out exactly what has happened here.
“This is starting to look like a classic case of jobs for the boys.”
The Scottish Tories have been approached for comment.
