Rackets, Fiddles and Baloney Rules
Disgraced ex-SNP minister Mackay sets up consultancy https://t.co/YHz1SCsfVd
— Tom Gordon (@HTScotPol) February 18, 2022
The Herald reports that former SNP finance minister, Derek Mackay, is setting up a consultancy after leaving the Scottish Parliament.
As regular readers know, Derek walked away with a severance payment of £54,000 just for ceasing to be an MSP and another £12,000 for losing his ministerial role - even though he was the architect of his own spectacular fall from grace.
But these baloney rules were designed by MSPs for MSPs without independent scrutiny and things have not changed during the past 14 years of SNP government.
Fiddles, Rackets and SNP Rules (January 21, 2022)
A reminder from the archive that SNP's golden goodbye payments for MSPs and Scottish Ministers are a disgraceful racket - rather than a 'fiddle'.
The Scottish Parliament's baloney rules (designed by Ministers and MSPs) have never been independently reviewed during the SNP's 14 years uninterrupted in power.
SNP Rules - A Racket Not A Fiddle (October 08, 2021)
The Herald reports that the former SNP finance minister and MSP charged another £10,000 in expenses despite being absent from the Scottish Parliament for the past year.
The reality is the SNP let this chancer get away with murder, financially speaking, because Derek also walked away with a a £54,000 'golden goodbye' payment just because he ceased to be an MSP.
The problem is that the current system is a racket - governed by ludicrous rules made by MSPs which have never been independently reviewed during the past 14 years of SNP government.
Holyrood - Rackets and Fiddles (August 20, 2021)
Here's a reminder of other crazy 'rules' followed by the Holyrood Parliament - tens of thousands paid to MSPs in hugely generous severance payments even if:
- the MSP's conduct/performance has been poor, questionable or unacceptable (Derek Mackay - SNP)
- the MSP in question is taking up a new job (Aileen Campbell - SNP)
- the MSP is retiring with a handsome pension (Mike Russell - SNP).
The Westminster Parliament said it was only 'following the rules', of course, when the great MPs expenses scandal was exposed, but that didn't cut any ice in the court of public opinion - and nor should this racket at Holyrood.
SNP Golden Goodbyes - A Racket - Not A Fiddle (July 11, 2021)
Tom Gordon hits the nail on the head with his description of Holyrood's golden goodbye payments scheme as a 'racket'.
The current scheme was put in place by MSPs back in 2008 and the SNP has presided over the same lousy system ever since.
Westminster has changed its rules, as have Wales and Northern Ireland, but the Scottish Parliament retained its scheme which is really the equivalent of money for old rope.
The latest beneficiaries include the former SNP finance minister, Derek Mackay (£54,000), along with outgoing SNP ministers Aileen Campbell (£75,000), Mike Russell (£76,500) and Roseanna Cunningham (£76,500) - and the first £30,000 is tax free.
As Tom Gordon observes:
"Our system is bloated, out-dated, inflexible and unfair."So while MSPs may be following the 'rules' the fact is the rules are not fit for purpose and the SNP should be ashamed of allowing the public purse to be shamelessly ripped off in this way.
Definitely a racket not a fiddle!
