The Scottish Government has been accused of breaking purdah rules over an announcement of more than £8million for an SNP target seat in Glasgow.
North-east MSP Ross Thomson made the allegation at the end of First Minister’s Questions, which was held on Wednesday due to the council elections today.
Mr Thomson, who is also Scottish Conservative candidate for the Aberdeen South Westminster seat, said the announcement was another example of how the north-east’s needs were being ignored by the SNP.
He said: “Once again, this shows voters in the north-east exactly where the SNP’s priorities lie.
“Aberdeen remains the lowest-funded council area in Scotland and has suffered one of the worst economic downturns in decades, yet millions of pounds in government funds are poured into Glasgow.
“On the eve of an election, this announcement is nothing more than pork barrel politics to try and curry favour with voters in a key target area for the SNP.
“Kevin Stewart, as MSP for Aberdeen Central, needs to tell voters when the SNP are going to start helping Aberdeen and the north-east.”
The Scottish Government announced £8.35million of funding for redevelopment in Glasgow on Tuesday night.
Official guidance is for civil servants to avoid making official announcements that could impact election results.
Mr Ross has written to Leslie Evans, permanent secretary to the Scottish Government, requesting an investigation into the propriety of the timing.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “A letter has been received by the Permanent Secretary and a response will issue in due course.”
A spokesman for Kevin Stewart said: “Ross Thomson isn’t fooling anyone with this bizarre outburst.
“The SNP Scottish Government is putting an extra £254million investment into the North East, on top of our £125million for the Aberdeen city deal.
“We have called on the Tory UK Government to match that extra funding, and they have refused so perhaps Mr Thomson should turn some attention to his own party’s neglect of Aberdeen – a city they are happy to take from but rarely keen to support.”