John Swinney has awarded his ministers a near £20,000 wage rise but has turned down the pay bump himself to avoid the perception he is “benefiting” from his own decisions.
Scotland’s first minister lifted the salary freeze – which was introduced by former SNP leader Alex Salmond in 2009 – to coincide with the start of the new tax year.
All ministers will receive £19,126 extra from this month, taking the salary of a cabinet secretary to £116,125 and a junior minister to £100,575.
It comes as many Scots are being forced to tighten their belts amid surging household bills, including council tax rises of up to 15.6%.
Mr Swinney denied he made the decision to lift the pay freeze in a bid to entice SNP MPs from Westminster to Holyrood.
It comes as many prominent MSPs have announced they plan to step down ahead of the Scottish parliament elections in 2026.
The list includes former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, Finance Secretary Shona Robison and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop
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During a news conference at Bute House in Edinburgh on Monday, Mr Swinney said: “I had no discussions with Westminster colleagues about that decision.”
The first minister said the 16-year freeze was “necessary”, adding: “But I’ve applied the principle of fairness that I think all members of the Scottish parliament should be able to take the salary to which they are entitled.
“I’ve reflected on my own position as the decision-maker and I’ve decided that, so that people don’t think that I’ve taken a decision from which I benefit personally, that I’ll leave my salary – MSP and ministerial – frozen, so there’s no sense that I’m benefiting from decisions that I believe is fair to take for others.”
MSP Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, branded the SNP’s performance in office as “uniformly dismal”.
He added: “Nationalist politicians have made a mess of everything they touch – our NHS, education, housing, policing and transport – while stifling the economy, pushing through savage cuts and making Scotland the highest-taxed part of the UK.”
John O’Connell, chief executive of TaxPayers’ Alliance, said “Scots will be absolutely seething”.
He added: “The public realm is in a miserable state in Scotland, with politicians abjectly failing to deliver on voters’ priorities, while also hammering taxpayers with some of the highest bills in the UK.
“If these ministers had any shame they’d be abandoning this pay rise and would not consider another one until they’ve delivered a boost in living standards, measured by GDP per capita.”
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During the media conference, Mr Swinney also announced the Scottish government’s legislative programme will be published earlier than usual on 6 May to allow for a “full year of delivery” ahead of the 2026 elections.
He said the legislative programme would make it easier to get appointments with GPs, adding that a “corner has been turned” on NHS performance.
Mr Swinney said: “I know people are tired and anxious, desperate for light at the end of the tunnel, and that’s why I want us to be prepared rather than simply scared.
“Advice and activity in the face of this latest challenge, rather than just anxious. And it’s why I want us to be united and creative in our response, to ensure that we are as resilient as we possibly can be.
“You can put tariffs on many things, but you can’t put them on ingenuity and common purpose.
“The programme for government will be laser-focused on delivery. It will set out what I believe my government can and will deliver for the people in Scotland over the coming year.”
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Mr Swinney said he had spoken to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other devolved leaders on Friday about US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
He said while the call had been constructive, the UK government should do “much more to protect Scotland’s economic interests”.
Mr Swinney said he will convene a meeting of business leaders and trade unions this week to discuss how to respond to the “emerging economic realities”.
The first minister also stated that the Grangemouth oil refinery should be nationalised by the UK government in light of action taken at the British Steel site at Scunthorpe.
He urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to relax her fiscal rules, adding: “If British Steel is to be nationalised to protect it, then so too should Grangemouth”.
