John Swinney urged to give minister's plans for £11k artist the brush off

John Swinney has been urged to intervene to stop one of his ministers spending £11,000 of taxpayers’ money on an ‘artist in residence’. It follows revelations that Hannah Mary Goodlad – the minister for public finance – plans to charge the public purse for a painter, sculptor or musician for her Shetland constituency office to produce materials to convey her aims to the public and media. The proposed appointment has been widely condemned by opponents but Ms Goodlad has defended it as a vital part of being able to ‘communicate effectively and inclusively with constituents’. While each individual MSP is responsible for their own office spending, Mr Swinney has been urged to intervene due to the impact on public finances. In his programme for government, the First Minister pledged action on public sector reform to bring down the scale and cost of the State. Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative culture spokesman, said: ‘If John Swinney has even an ounce of respect for taxpayers’ money, he will tell his colleague to ditch her plans to squander money on hiring someone for this role. MSP Hannah Goodlad had announced plans to hire an artist ‘It is astonishing that the minister for public finances ever thought this would be a good use of public resources. The SNP have spent two decades wasting money promoting their pet projects, but this really takes the biscuit. ‘Swinney should intervene and tell Hannah Mary Goodlad to set an example and avoid leaving the taxpayer to pick up the bill for an artist-in-residence to work for her.’ Ms Goodlad became an MSP for the first time following May’s Holyrood elections and was made Public Finance Minister in Mr Swinney’s reshuffle following the vote. In her government role, she has pledged to ‘take a responsible approach’ to public finances and prioritise investment in frontline services. The full-time artist will join her constituency office in Lerwick, Shetland, for four months. According to the job advert for the role, which comes with an annual salary of £33,000 which works out as £11,000 for the four-month duration, the artist will ‘contribute to and deliver projects exploring policy areas of priority to the MSP through your own artistic practices, to support communication and engagement with constituents’. Max Bannerman, Reform UK MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said: ‘Hannah Mary Goodlad was elected on the promise to be a Shetland-first MSP, but just five months into the job her ministerial role has inflated her ego beyond belief. ‘The sanctimonious Goodlad became a minister without being put through her paces as an MSP, but now she’s in charge of public finances she’s splashing taxpayer money on an ostentatious nod to Shetlanders. ‘If the First Minister does not intervene, we have to assume John Swinney is permissive of this level of grandiose self-gratification at a time when his government is supposedly looking to ease the nation through a cost-of-living crisis.’ Ms Goodlad is also advertising for a part-time member of staff to translate her press releases into the Shetland dialect at a further cost of £12,800 per year. Defending her proposed artist in residence role, Ms Goodlad said that the arts, language and culture are important to her and added: ‘A vital role of an MSP is to communicate effectively and inclusively with constituents. ‘There are many ways in which to fulfil that role beyond traditional expectations.’ Sam Taylor, founder of the think-tank These Islands, said: ‘Looking forward to the unveiling of a painting depicting the death of Hannah Mary Goodlad’s leadership ambitions.’ The SNP has been asked for comment on calls for Mr Swinney to intervene.