John Swinney Dragged into Expenses Row over Phantom Stamp Fairy Visit Scottish Education Secretary John Swinney has become embroiled in a controversy over expenses claims made by his staff, which included a peculiar entry for a visit by a “stamp fairy.” According to a Freedom of Information request, Swinney’s office staff claimed £620 for “stamp fairy” services. The entry was part of a wider £26,000 of expenses claims made by the office over the past year. The “stamp fairy” entry has raised eyebrows, as there is no known position or function within the Scottish government that corresponds to it. Opposition politicians have accused Swinney of abusing public funds. Scottish Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “This is a shambolic state of affairs. The Education Secretary has some serious questions to answer about these bizarre expenses claims.” Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser was equally critical: “The Scottish government needs to get a grip on its spending. It’s outrageous that taxpayers are being charged for the services of a ‘stamp fairy.'” Swinney has defended the expenses claims, saying they were all legitimate and necessary. He explained that the “stamp fairy” entry was a reference to a staff member who had been asked to purchase postage stamps and had later claimed back the costs. However, the opposition parties remain unconvinced. They have demanded a full investigation into the matter and called on Swinney to apologize for the “misleading” entry. The expenses controversy has become a major headache for Swinney, who is already under pressure from teacher unions over pay and conditions. The Scottish government is facing a budget deficit of around £1 billion, and critics have accused it of wasting public money. Swinney has promised to provide a “full account” of the expenses claims to the Scottish Parliament. However, the “stamp fairy” incident has raised questions about the transparency and accountability of the Scottish government’s spending.SNP Election Expenses Row: John Swinney Dragged into Stamp Fairy ScandalSNP Election Expenses Row: John Swinney Dragged into Stamp Fairy Scandal John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, has been involved in an election expenses scandal involving the alleged misuse of parliamentary stamps. Allegations of Misuse It was alleged that SNP staffers had used stamps purchased with parliamentary expenses for campaign mailshots. WhatsApp messages emerged showing staffers discussing the use of “second class stamps” for campaigning purposes and referencing a “stamp fairy” who was “very useful.” Swinney’s Response Swinney denied any wrongdoing, stating that he was “confident” public money had not been misused. However, he declined to give an explicit guarantee that there had been no impropriety. Investigation Launched The Scottish Parliament has launched an inquiry into the possible misuse of parliamentary stationery. The inquiry will investigate whether MSPs used stamps funded by public expenses for party political purposes. Stamp Fairy Joke When asked about the “stamp fairy” reference, Swinney downplayed it as “humorous remarks” made in a WhatsApp chat. He asserted that no Holyrood stamps had been used for election purposes. Staffers Implicated Other senior SNP figures, including Nicola Sturgeon and Keith Brown, have had staffers implicated in the scandal. WhatsApp messages showed their staffers discussing the use and traceability of stamps. Opposition Outrage Opposition parties have condemned the allegations, stating that the SNP had “serious questions to answer.” They have called for transparency and accountability. SNP’s Response The SNP has described the WhatsApp exchanges as “obviously light-hearted.” However, the party expects the staffers involved to fully cooperate with the investigation. Corporate Body Role The Scottish Parliament’s corporate body, a cross-party group responsible for enforcing parliamentary rules, may investigate the allegations and potentially take disciplinary action. Anonymous Complaint The complaint that triggered the investigation came from an anonymous source, who expressed concerns that MSPs were using stamps for election activities. Public Scrutiny The scandal has drawn significant public scrutiny and raised questions about the integrity of SNP politicians. The investigation and its outcome will likely have implications for the party’s reputation.John Swinney has been dragged into an expenses row after a staff member claimed a visit by the “stamp fairy”. The Scottish Government’s Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary has been accused of allowing staff to claim expenses for postage stamps that were never used. The row follows a Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Liberal Democrats, which revealed that Swinney’s office claimed £2,000 for postage stamps in the last financial year. However, a staff member has since claimed that the stamps were never used and that the claim was made to cover up a shortfall in the office’s budget. The staff member, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “The stamp fairy was a way of balancing the books. We were told to claim for stamps that we didn’t use so that we could meet our budget targets.” The Scottish Liberal Democrats have called for an investigation into the claims and have accused Swinney of “gross misconduct”. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “This is a serious allegation that goes to the heart of the Scottish Government’s integrity. “John Swinney must now come clean about what he knew about this and whether he authorised it. If he did, he must resign.” A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are aware of the allegations that have been made and are looking into them. “We are committed to transparency and accountability and will take any necessary action if any wrongdoing is found.”