POPPYSCOTLAND has moved to defend its political independence in the face of sharp criticism after Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson promoted £2.5 million of UK government funding to the war veterans charity from its premises.
Ruth Davidson was accused of using the Lady Haig poppy factory to "politicise" a government donation which will lead to its revamp.
The government money will be put towards modernising the factory, which employs 41 veterans and turns out five million poppies and 15,000 wreaths every year.
The state of facilities at the site in Canonmills had sparked concerns production could halt.
Ms Davidson who posed with poppy wreaths for a photocall at the factory said: "It's a fantastic investment here because poppies have been made at the Lady Haig factory hear in Edinburgh for generations and the investment from the UK government means they will be able to continue to be made here for decases to come.
"The issue is the factory is getting a bit old, a bit tired, and it employs so many veterans that we want to make sure those veterans have a good, safe working environment to make the poppies that we wear every single year and that is what this investment is going to do.
A social media row broke out when John Lamont MP in a now deleted post circulated a Scottish Conservatives' "Delivering for Scotland" meme with the headline: "£2.5m for Poppy Scotland to support our veterans".
The Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP tweeted: "The first example of how @ScotTories MPs are delivering for Scotland in #Budget2017 and showing how positive engagement with the UK government gets better results than nationalist grievance. @poppyscotland".
Senior SNP MSP Bruce Crawford was among the critics, saying: "This being done for political purposes is beneath you, John - only hope a staffer posted this."
After Mr Lamont deleted the tweet he said: "I fully acknowledge that PoppyScotland is apolitical."
Later Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson posted a similar meme saying: "UK government will be supporting the Lady Haig Poppy Factory with £2.5m which not only makes poppies, but provides employment to our veterans.
"A clear example of Scottish Conservative MPs delivering for Scotland at the heart of government.. and showing how positive and constructive engagement with the UK government gets better results than nationalist grievance."
But in the wake of a furore with some saying they would not contribute to the charity, Poppyscotland moved to say that it was "apolitical and anything that brings this position into doubt is unhelpful".
They said the tweet by Mr Lamont was "not agreed by Poppyscotland".
And the charity added: "While we are extremely grateful for the funding anything that brings our apolitical status into question is unhelpful
"While we are delighted to have secured this important funding, it does not change our position and we will continue to work across the political spectrum for the benefit of our Armed Forces community.
"For the benefit of doubt we have not, and never will, accept a donation from a political party.
"There is a very important distinction between a donation and funding of this nature. Both are vitally important."
It said that in this instance it was in response to an application to the government's LIBOR fund, used to support Armed Forces and Emergency Services charities "something than many other charities have done".
The charity added: "We're entirely comfortable that our application for funding and the basis on which we would accept an award is beyond reproach. It's disappointing that a very positive story about the ambitious plans we have for redeveloping the Poppy Factory seems to be lost in the debate.
"We have welcomed countless MSPs/MPs to the Poppy Factory this year from across the political spectrum this year, as we do every year. Today's visit is not unusual."
Poppyscotland chief executive Mark Bibbey said: “We are delighted at the prospect of receiving this funding, which will go towards our exciting and ambitious plans for redeveloping the Lady Haig Poppy Factory. Our aim is to secure the long-term future production of poppies and to vastly enhance our educational output. The Chancellor’s award will help us towards making both of these ambitions a reality, creating a lasting legacy in the process."
The original factory was opened in March 1926 by Countess Haig, wife of the Field Marshall, to address the shortage of poppies that were available for sale in Scotland at the time.
The first poppies were made by two ex-Servicemen and a pair of scissors but the Factory quickly grew to a team of 28 men who had been disabled during the First World War. It moved into the Warriston Road site in 1965 but the building is in urgent need up upgrading.
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