Justice Secretary Angela Constance and a close family member were taken to the Old Firm league cup final in a chauffeur-driven government car.
The minister enjoyed the perk two days before rules were introduced clamping down on relatives using ministerial limos. Family and friends can only now travel in a government car with a minister when it is “clearly in the public interest” or on an “exceptional basis”.
The rules were overhauled after Health Secretary Neil Gray and a family member used taxpayer-funded cars to go to games at Hampden involving his beloved Aberdeen. Now a second government minister has been dragged into the limo scandal. The Scottish Government last night defended Constance, but opponents claim such perks are unjustified.
Former Labour MSP and anti-poverty campaigner Neil Findlay said: “At a time when families are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and public services are on the brink, it will stick in the throat of voters to see a well-paid Cabinet Secretary using a ministerial car in this way. The Justice Secretary must provide full transparency on this junket.”
Constance attended the showpiece at Hampden on Sunday as a guest of the Scottish Professional Football League. An SPFL source said of the invite: “The SPFL stance on the need for an increased use of football banning orders is very well known and this was an opportunity to discuss this issue with the Justice Secretary.”
Another insider said Constance was accompanied to the match by a close family member who benefited from the car freebie. However, First Minister John Swinney published a new code on ministerial ethics 48 hours after Constance and her relative used the car.
The new rules heavily restrict the use of government cars for relatives, saying: “It is permissible for a close family member to travel with a Minister in an official car on occasions where it is clearly in the public interest for them to attend an official engagement and/or where it is justified on security grounds.
“In all other circumstances, close family members should only travel with a Minister in an official car on an exceptional basis and where this does not incur any additional public expenditure or impact on the delivery of the official duties of the Minister concerned.”
While the VIPs watched the match for free and travelled there in style, one fan told the Record he paid £40 for his ticket. A return journey between the Livingston train station near Constance’s Almond Valley constituency and Glasgow Central costs £13.60.
The trip by Constance raised eyebrows among MSPs. One said: “I don’t see how travelling in a government car to an Old Firm match with a relative is in the public interest. SNP Ministers must stop using public resources for private benefit.”
Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “The public will be astonished that Angela Constance deemed it appropriate to use a ministerial car to go to the Old Firm this weekend. Clearly she has learned nothing from how angry the public feel about Neil Gray’s limo-gate scandal where he charged the taxpayer to watch his favourite team, Aberdeen.” The Scottish Government last night insisted Constance had not broken the rules.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Justice Secretary attended Sunday’s match for official government business. During the engagement, she discussed with the SPFL the continued efforts to tackle the illegal use of pyro-technics at football matches and observed the policing of such sporting events.”
An SPFL spokesman said: “For many years, as is customary, we’ve been very pleased to be joined by members of the Scottish Government and politicians from different parties at these flagship occasions.”
Gray was forced to make a Holyrood statement last month after admitting taking a chauffeur-driven car to matches involving his team, Aberdeen. He said attending four games involving the Dons had given the impression of acting “more as a fan and less as a minister”.
It is not known if Angela Constance supports either of the teams who played on Sunday.
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletterhere.