Draft article: Rebecca McCurdy 2026-08-20 15:30

£98,442. That is how much John Swinney’s World Cup trip cost taxpayers. At a time of serious pressure on Scotland’s finances, it is a figure that will sit uncomfortably with many of us. Almost half of the bill was spent on business class flights for the First Minister and two of his senior aides. Another £11,800 was accounted for on economy flights for several officials who accompanied Swinney, while car hire in Boston and Kentucky added more than £10,000 to the costs. That is a relatively insignificant sum in the wider context of Scotland’s multi-billion pound economy. Taken in isolation, it will not determine whether the NHS can meet demands or whether councils can balance their books. But that’s not really the point. Public confidence in government matters. These decisions look marginal