John Swinney 'bizarrely' blames the Scottish Parliament for huge World Cup spend

Scottish First Minister John Swinney has faced criticism after his Scottish Government offered what opponents called a “bizarre” justification for nearly £100,000 in World Cup travel expenses. Reports cited by the Scottish Daily Express say taxpayers covered a close-to-£18,000 flight to Boston, while the wider total reached £98,422, including flights, accommodation, car hire and other costs tied to trips to Boston and Kentucky, plus Sports Minister Maree Todd’s trip to Miami. Sources claim Swinney blamed the Scottish Parliament, suggesting that schedule changes to First Minister’s Questions affected travel plans. Swinney and private secretary John Webster spent £17,893 on U.S. flights, while the government said business-class booking rules were followed, and it declined to confirm when flights were booked.