The sky-high price of SNP referendum propaganda
IN the dying days of the referendum campaign, Alex Salmond took to the skies in a helicopter in an effort to win over undecided voters.
But the First Minister’s flying tour not only failed to produce a majority for independence, it also saddled the SNP with a huge bill, newly released accounts show.
The party paid £34,720 to PDG Helicopters for a four-day hire. Invernessbased PDG also provided the ‘Nicolopter’ that Nicola Sturgeon used in the General election.
Campaigners spent £6.7million in the referendum, according to figures from the electoral Commission. Better Together spent £1,422,602 in the regulated period from May 30 until September 18, 2014; Yes Scotland spent £1,420,800. The SNP spent £1,298,567, Labour £732,482 and the Tories £356,191. The accounts reveal:
Facebook got £43,000, mainly advertising, with the SNP paying £33,813.
The Lib Dems paid £440 to a Welsh company for ‘balloon artistry’.
The biggest single payment was £892,214 from Yes Scotland to global advertising agency Mediacom.
Labour spent £10,350 on travel expenses for MPs, with politicians from south of the Border sent to Scotland.
Comedy club owner Tommy Sheppard, elected as a Nationalist MP last week, spent more than £35,000 – including £2,877 to singer- songwriter Amy MacDonald’s touring company.
Advertising firm M&C Saatchi received £84,343 from Better Together.
Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sil- lars spent £637.95 on repairs to the ‘Margo Mobile’ in which he toured Scotland, named after his late wife Margo MacDonald.
A total of 42 organisations and individuals registered with the commission as campaigners and reported spending £6,664,980. Those spending more than £250,000 were required to submit an independently audited return to the commission by March 18, 2015.
Campaigners spent the l argest amounts on advertising, £1,884,396, and unsolicited material to electors, such as leaflets, at £1,857,414.
Outwith political parties, the highest donation of £1million came from JK rowling, while euromillions winners Colin and Christine Weir donated £500,000 each.
The commission revealed Better Together is ‘missing some information, making the return incomplete’. It is consulting with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service ‘in order for them to consider whether they will open an investigation into this matter’.
But a source close to Better Together said: ‘Any items of expenditure for which invoices could not be sourced are supported by bank statements showing this expenditure to ensure transparency in our returns.
‘The electoral Commission are legally obliged to liaise with the Crown Office in this regard. There is no investigation under way.’
Lib Dems paid £440 for ‘balloon artistry’