Former SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford claimed a £330.77 debt collection agency bill on expenses over an unpaid energy bill.
Documents show the sum was paid to BPO Collection in August 2020 over an electricity bill at his constituency office. His staff have admitted a bill was missed during lockdown, but insisted taxpayers were not forced to pick up a penalty charge. A spokesman said: “The bill was from SSE, the payment date was missed as everyone was working from home.
“SSE passed it on to BPO for collection. There was no extra cost to the public purse, as the £330.77 was the exact amount of the original bill.” Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, stood down from his job as Westminster leader earlier this year. It followed rumours of repeated attempts by his MPs to oust him and he was replaced by Stephen Flynn, the Aberdeen South MP.
He is one of the SNP’s richest MPs having had a successful career in business and banking before entering parliament. Blackford’s debt collection bill was among £33,000 of office costs claimed in 2020-21. He is a key ally of Nicola Sturgeon who announced her own resignation in February.
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