SNP pays out staggering £200,000 in 'golden goodbyes' to aides - including Nicola Sturgeon's 'fixer'
Humza Yousaf kept most of Sturgeon's team when he took over from her
Reuters
The Scottish Government paid over £200,000 to departing SNP advisers who left once Humza Yousaf became First Minister.
Those who received “golden goodbyes” included Nicola Sturgeon’s right-hand woman and“fixer” Liz Lloyd, former head of communications Stuart Nicolson, and net zero adviser John McFarlane.
Lloyd, Nicolson and McFarlane were three of the eight special advisers who were given the axe when Yousaf took over – he chose to keep a large number of his predecessor’s team in the original roles.
The payments given to the special advisers upon their departure totalled £223,897.
Nicola Sturgeon stepped down in March 2023
PAThe eye-watering figure related to pay entitlements for payment in lieu of notice (£204,055), and/or annual leave accrued but never taken (£19,841).
Special advisers often have to stop working without a period of notice, as a result of sudden changes in government.
Lloyd, who used to earn £100,000 a year as the strategic policy and political adviser to the First Minister, exited the government after helping Yousaf on his leadership campaign.
She had previously been Sturgeon’s chief of staff from 2015 to 2021.
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Sturgeon paid tribute to Lloyd on social media upon her departure, writing: “Liz has been by my side throughout my time as FM. Her advice, support, perspective, humour and sheer hard work has been indispensable to me. She is brilliant and I know she’ll go on to do great things. Thank you, Liz.”
Yousaf kept on most of Sturgeon’s team when he took over in March.
This included Colin McAllister, Jeanette Campbell, Ewan Crawford, Davie Hutchison, Ross Ingebrigtsen, Emily Mackintosh, and former MP Callum McCaig.
Alongside keeping much of his predecessor’s team, he hired new faces including Jack Middleton, who helped Yousaf with his leadership campaign.
Liz Lloyd was given a "golden goodbye"
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Yousaf also brought back Keven Pringle, Salmond’s former spin doctor, to fill the role of head of communications and strategic political adviser, a position previously held by Lloyd.
In 2021, “golden goodbyes” were given to 14 special advisers, who were forced to step down as the SNP needed to rely on the Greens to maintain governance.
The pay-outs in 2021 cost £459,484, funded by the taxpayer.
Breaking down the figure, £355,164 were given as entitlements for payment in lieu of notice and £104,319 for untaken annual leave.