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SNP Accused of Wasting £19.99m on 'Woke' Ideology in Scotland

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has been accused of prioritizing "ideological projects" over public services in Scotland, with Conservative politicians claiming that almost £20m was spent on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives between 2019-20 and 2024-25. The figures obtained by the Tories show that the largest spender was the National Health Service (NHS), which allocated £8.9m on DEI training, while councils, universities, and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) also contributed to the total spend of £19.98m. The SNP has defended the spending, stating that it aims to promote fairness and tackle discrimination in Scottish society.

Key Takeaways:

  • The total spend on DEI initiatives in Scotland between 2019-20 and 2024-25 was £19,987,747.
  • The NHS was the largest spender on DEI training, with a total of £8,902,193.
  • The SPS spent £751,934 on DEI, including £9,180 to the controversial LGBTQ rights group Stonewall and over £725,000 on diversity staff wages.
  • The highest spending local authority was Aberdeen City Council, with a total of £620,640.
  • The largest university spender was Edinburgh Napier University, which allocated £2,970,000 on DEI initiatives.
  • Most of North Ayrshire's spending was on an 'Equalities Inclusion Officer', while Glasgow City spent almost £117,391 on 'Purchase of services including training'.
  • The SPS's DEI spend included £751,934, with £9,180 spent on Stonewall and over £725,000 on diversity staff wages.
  • The highest spending health board was NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, with a spend of £4.25m.
  • The controversy surrounding DEI training in the NHS, including a case where a nurse was forced to share a changing room with a trans doctor.

Statistics:

  • The total spend on DEI initiatives between 2019-20 and 2024-25 was £19.98m.
  • The NHS spent £8.9m on DEI training.
  • The SPS spent £751,934 on DEI initiatives.
  • The highest spending local authority was Aberdeen City Council, with a spend of £620,640.
  • The largest university spender was Edinburgh Napier University, which allocated £2.97m on DEI initiatives.
  • The NHS Ayrshire & Arran health board spent £1.3m on DEI, while NHS Grampian spent £1m.

Sources:

  • The Scottish Conservative Party
  • Official figures obtained by the Tories
  • The National Health Service (NHS)
  • The Scottish Prison Service (SPS)
  • The Scottish Government
  • The Scottish Police Authority
  • The Daily Telegraph
  • The Sunday Times
  • The Herald
  • The Scotsman

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