SNP Ministers' Pay Rise Sparks Criticism Amid Tax Hikes

Scottish ministers are set to receive a significant salary increase following the lifting of a 16-year pay freeze, with junior ministers earning £100,575 and cabinet secretaries £116,125. First Minister John Swinney declined his own pay rise, maintaining his salary at £135,605 to avoid any perception of personal benefit. The decision, amid a cost-of-living crisis and increased taxation, has been met with criticism from opposition parties and taxpayers' groups, who argue the rise is undeserved given the SNP's perceived poor performance in key public sectors. Critics, including the Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy, have labeled the pay increase as a 'reward for failure' and a burden on taxpayers. The increase was quietly announced in a response to a parliamentary question, prompting calls for the decision to be reversed. The pay freeze had saved approximately £2.2 million in public spending since its inception.