Saltire probe from MSPs

Questions are being asked abotu the Government’s expenditure on flags, particularly the saltire.
St Andrew's Day Celebrations, South St Andrew's Street, Edinburgh.

Pictured: A saltire flies above a souvenir shop with the spire of St Giles behind.

Image by: Malcolm McCurrach
Sun, 30, November, 2014. © Malcolm McCurrach 2014. All rights Reserved. picturedesk@nwimages.co.uk | www.nwimages.co.uk | 07743 719366

JP ResellSt Andrew's Day Celebrations, South St Andrew's Street, Edinburgh.

Pictured: A saltire flies above a souvenir shop with the spire of St Giles behind.

Image by: Malcolm McCurrach
Sun, 30, November, 2014. © Malcolm McCurrach 2014. All rights Reserved. picturedesk@nwimages.co.uk | www.nwimages.co.uk | 07743 719366

JP Resell
St Andrew's Day Celebrations, South St Andrew's Street, Edinburgh. Pictured: A saltire flies above a souvenir shop with the spire of St Giles behind. Image by: Malcolm McCurrach Sun, 30, November, 2014. © Malcolm McCurrach 2014. All rights Reserved. [email protected] | www.nwimages.co.uk | 07743 719366 JP Resell

Information obtained by the Scottish Tories shows that over £2000 was spent buying saltires in the run-up to the independence referendum.

Ministers purchased 23 Scottish flags between July 2013 and October last year, and also spent £108 on a Basque flag – the region of Spain famed for its separatist campaign.

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No Union Jacks were purchased, despite the Scottish Government spending £6841 on 121 flags over that time period, more than the three previous years

Central Scotland MSP Margaret Mitchell said: “While the sums of money may not be massive, if it transpires the Scottish Government was purchasing saltires for referendum-related reasons, there will be some tricky questions to answer.

“Taxpayers’ money has to be spent responsibly, and I look forward to ministers setting out the justification for this investment and in particular for the saltires.

“The fact a Basque flag was bought will also raise eyebrows, as there are obvious comparisons between the SNP and other separatists.”