How three SNP ministers with an entourage of 12 enjoyed a trip to the Euros – and you footed the £24,000 bill!

Taxpayers have been hit with a £24,000 bill after three SNP ministers and 12 officials attended Euro 2024 football matches in Germany.

First Minister John Swinney, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson and sports minister Maree Todd each attended one of the three Scotland matches at the tournament.

Between them, they took 12 officials with them during the trips in June. 

Now the Scottish Government has confirmed the total costs came to £24,223, including travel, accommodation, subsistence and a cultural programme for Scottish artists in Germany.

Brian Whittle, sports spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said: ‘SNP ministers should be showing support for the national team at the Euros, but I’m not convinced they needed to bring enough officials to field their own team.

‘Ministers have a responsibility to make sure that when they’re using taxpayers’ money to travel, they’re getting real value for money.

‘The SNP government should explain why so many officials were necessary and set out how the meetings held were worth the expense.

‘They also need to clarify why their attendance as guests of the SFA hasn’t been declared by now, given these SNP ministers are taking decisions that directly affect Scottish football.’

The bill, disclosed by the Daily Telegraph, included £2,617 of ‘travel and subsistence’ directly attributed to Mr Swinney’s two-night trip to Munich for the opening fixture of the tournament between Germany and Scotland. 

He was pictured enjoying the pre-match atmosphere dressed in a Scotland shirt and kilt and drinking with the Tartan Army.

When the money spent on the six officials he brought with him were included, the cost to taxpayers rose to £12,415. Mr Swinney, Mr Robertson and Ms Todd all attended matches with tickets provided by Uefa for government representatives of the countries involved.

Ms Todd was in Cologne to watch Scotland’s second match against Switzerland, while Mr Robertson attended the fixture against Hungary in Stuttgart.

The total cost of the three trips came to £24,223, although the Scottish Government yesterday said the figure included £10,500 for a cultural programme for Scottish artists in Germany.

Mr Swinney’s official engagements included a meeting with ‘representatives of the Tartan Army’ and attending the ‘formal opening’ of a fanzone.

Ms Todd’s activities included meeting a state government politician, going to a pre-match civic reception, visiting Borussia Dortmund’s stadium and a gymnasium.

Mr Robertson attended three separate meetings about ‘Scottish/Baden-Wurttemberg relations’ and held talks with SFA officials who would normally be based in Glasgow.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘All travel costs were in accordance with travel and subsistence policies to ensure we deliver the best value for money possible for the Scottish public.’