Stephen Flynn has defended the cost of John Swinney's trip to the US to watch the Scotland men’s national team at the World Cup to the public purse - and labelled the media's reporting of it as "clickbait".
According to data published by the Scottish Government, almost £100,000 was spent for the First Minister and Scottish Government officials to visit Boston and a subsequent trip to Kentucky, along with another visit to Miami by sports minister Maree Todd for the team’s final group stage tie against Brazil.
On Thursday, Mr Swinney justified the costs involved in the trip, telling the BBC: "Obviously, when flights have got to be booked, when there’s intense pressure on the time involved, then the costs are likely to be higher. We tried to minimise those costs.”
That same day, Justice Secretary Neil Gray also defended the First Minister, saying that it was “right” he and officials made the trip to “make significant international connections”.
On Friday, Mr Flynn joined Mr Gray in backing the First Minister during an appearance on Scotcast, BBC’s Scottish news podcast, held in front a live audience as part of the Edinburgh Festivals.
Asked by host Martin Geissler if the costs involved in the trip were "fair", the Economy Secretary said: "I really struggle with the notion that we as a nation would want our leader not to be travelling in business class knowing that when they land in Boston and then down into Kentucky, as John of course didn't just go to Boston he went to Kentucky as well, that, as soon as he lands, he is straight to work on our collective behalf.
"And the work he's being doing with the United States has been quite extraordinary in terms of being at the forefront of the trade dialogue in respect of the Scotch Whisky sector and that is why I went down to Kentucky as well.
"And I think if we want our politicians to go and sit in row 46 beside the toilets and then land in Boston and then go and engage with US Government officials, having done so, we’ll get exactly what we deserve as politicians."
When then quizzed about Mr Swinney's staff - namely his private secretary John Webster and chief of staff Colin McAllister - also travelling Business Class, Mr Flynn added: "A politician is only as good as the people who support them and I think it would be a bit silly for the First Minister to be awake and fully engage with what’s happening and his chief of staff and civil servant not to be…look it's really hard to explain how on the go these people are.
"From 6am to midnight and beyond. Things are happening in Scotland that they deal with that we don’t have any clue about in real terms and they are constantly on the go.
"So the notion that we would suggest they don’t go and be rested to act on our behalf I think is childish and the same accusation or anger would not be put towards any politician, senior politician in Westminster who travels on behalf of the UK state and I think we need to reflect upon the nature of our political discourse in that regard."
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Mr Geissler then mentioned press coverage of the US trip bill, asking Mr Flynn if he accepted that it was a "legitimate story" or not.
Responding, the MSP for Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine said: "It's a bit of both isn't it? It's just clickbait. ‘Look how much John Swinney's trip cost’. People are going to click on it."
Mr Geissler then interjected, saying: "Is it just clickbait? It's our money."
Mr Flynn then said: "No. No. No. I said it's a bit of both. So it is clickbait because people will click on it and engage with it and then you'll be able to generate the ads and so on and so forth from that but also the reason it's in the public domain is because we have transparency rules which means that when we as ministers or as politicians do anything we know it's incurring public cost.
"So we have to do our jobs whilst knowing that. So you are not going to get angry or bothered about it. I wouldn’t even think about it to be honest."
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