Swinney defends SNP's Flynn over £30,000 donation

First Minister John Swinney has defended SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn after he lobbied ministers on behalf of an energy firm run by a donor who gave his local party branch £30,000.

Flynn wrote to Energy Minister Gillian Martin in October 2023 to help Flotation Energy break a "consent logjam” affecting plans for a large floating wind farm off Peterhead in Aberdeenshire.

The project was granted consent in April, weeks before the firm's co-chief technical officer, Allan MacAskill, sent funds to the SNP.

Swinney said the donation had been declared properly.

He told BBC Scotland News: “There’s a financial contribution been made as part of a normal political donation for political purposes and that’s properly been declared.

“It’s a huge policy priority for all of us that want to take action on climate change that we take these decisions properly and promptly to make sure we can secure investment in renewable energy in Scotland.”

MacAskill, the brother of former Alba MP and justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, made the £30,000 donation to an SNP branch in Flynn’s Aberdeen South constituency on 27 May, ahead of July's general election.

Although the donation was not made directly to Flynn, he was required to record it in Westminster's register of interests.

It came after the SNP had been critical of Labour's disclosure of donations made to the party in the run up to the election, as well as gifts and hospitality given to senior figures including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Scottish Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden said that Flynn should clarify why the £30,000 donation was received one month after the wind farm project was granted consent, "particularly since he has questioned if Labour received donations with ‘no attachments'."

Lumsden added: “If it involved anyone else, Flynn would be among the first to shout about this."

An SNP spokesperson said: "Stephen Flynn MP is a proud and vocal champion of Scotland's journey to renewable energy, and he will always support important projects that bring jobs and investment to Aberdeen and communities across Scotland.

“Any local MP worth their salt would do everything they could to ensure vital renewable projects are delivered - and Stephen has a strong record in championing investment.”

MacAskill set up Flotation Energy in 2018 with its current chief executive Lord Nicol Stephen, the former Liberal Democrat deputy first minister.

He is a long-standing SNP member and donor.

Flotation Energy’s Peterhead project, called Green Volt, is a joint venture with Norwegian firm Vårgrønn.

Lord Stephen hailed the speed at which planning approval had been granted for Green Volt, which he said would put “Scotland at the leading edge of a new floating wind sector”.

It will provide renewable electricity to oil and gas platforms, replacing existing natural gas and diesel power generation, and the UK grid.

Flotation Energy has been asked to comment.