[Cherie]

Nicola Sturgeon has been slammed for expensing a gratuitous farewell tour after she announced her intention to resign as First Minister of Scotland.

Following her surprise announcement, which came just weeks before it emerged the Scottish police fraud squad was investigating the SNP, Ms Sturgeon embarked on a goodbye tour of TV studios, including Loose Women.

It has now emerged Ms Sturgeon billed the taxpayer both for a business class flight and a hotel room costing more than £500 per night.

The luxury trip was booked despite rules saying ministers must make "cost-effective travel arrangements" and must be "consistent with ministers' commitment to reduce emissions".

That same night, one of Ms Sturgeon's ministers also paid a visit to London but managed to find accommodation for less than a fifth the price of his boss's £515 room.

Scottish Tory MSP Annie Wells said taxpayers will find the revelations "utterly galling".

She said: "The former First Minister should have set an example and kept costs of her trip - which included another visit to appear on Loose Women - to a minimum.

"The fact that she also thought it appropriate to take a short and costly business class flight to London also flies in the face of her repeatedly asking the Scottish public to do their bit to tackle the climate emergency while in high office."

The Taxpayers' Alliance's Jonathan Eida said: "Brits who are having to scrimp and save will not look kindly this flight of fancy".

The Express