The SNP’s Westminster leader has been urged to make clear whether he was promised a massive campaign donation in return for lobbying ministers on behalf of a green energy firm.
Stephen Flynn yesterday faced further calls for clarity after he received a £30,000 donation from Allan MacAskill, co-chief technical officer of Flotation Energy, after contacting ministers to pass on concerns about the ‘consent logjam’ for its key project.
The money was accepted in May – just one month after the firm’s giant Green Volt floating wind farm off the Aberdeenshire coast was given the go-ahead by SNP ministers.
First Minister John Swinney yesterday stepped into the row to defend Mr Flynn and said the donation had been declared properly.
But North East MSP Douglas Lumsden has written to Mr Flynn to demand answers to key questions, including whether he was promised the donation for his general election campaign if he lobbied the Scottish Government in favour of the project.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn received a £30,000 donation from Allan MacAskill, co-chief technical officer of Flotation Energy
He also called for Mr Flynn to publish all correspondence, including texts and WhatsApp messages, he had with SNP ministers, Scottish Government officials and Mr MacAskill during the application process.
Mr Lumsden, a Scottish Conservative MSP, said: ‘The timing of this donation raises serious questions about what exactly Stephen Flynn may have done.
‘Mr Flynn should clarify why he received a £30,000 donation just one month after this decision was made.
‘If it involved anyone else, Mr Flynn would be among the first to shout about this. It looks like shameless hypocrisy.’
Allan MacAskill rasied concerns with ministers about the ‘consent logjam’ for his company’s key project
The Mail revealed on Saturday that Mr Flynn emailed energy minister Gillian Martin on October 6, 2023, about the Green Volt scheme and forwarded correspondence he had received from Flotation Energy seeking ‘a ministerial meeting to break consent logjam’.
In his email to Ms Martin, Mr Flynn said: ‘I’d be grateful if Scottish Government officials could review the information below and, if appropriate, arrange contact with those involved to discuss these matters further.’
The donation was made one month after Flotation Energy was given the go-ahead for a floating wind farm by SNP ministers
Ms Martin’s assistant private secretary forwarded the email to officials in the Scottish Government’s correspondence unit, and copied in Ms Martin, with the message: ‘Fast track MR please.’
It was announced on April 22 this year that the project had received planning consent from the Scottish Government.
Mr Flynn registered a £30,000 donation from Allan MacAskill, co-chief technical officer of Flotation Energy, on August 2. Electoral Commission records show it was accepted on May 27.
In his letter to the SNP Westminster leader, Mr Lumsden said: ‘If this were anyone else, you would be raising the alarm bells.
‘Indeed, in response to the Labour freebies row you sarcastically remarked that these donations “come with no attachments” and that they are from “the kindness of a filthy-rich donor’s heart”.
‘So was this donation simply from the kindness of a filthy-rich donor’s heart or is there an attachment, as you implied with the Labour freebies less than a month ago?
‘Were you promised a donation to your election campaign if you lobbied the Scottish Government in favour of this offshore wind project?’
Mr MacAskill is said to be a supporter of the SNP and the brother of former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
The Scottish Government said Ms Martin provided a written response to Mr Flynn confirming that officials reviewed the information in his enquiry and were in regular contact with the Green Volt project team about the matter.
The SNP last week said Mr Flynn is and ‘will always support important projects that bring jobs and investment to Aberdeen and communities across Scotland’ and that ‘donations from longstanding party members are always welcome and help to ensure the SNP wins across Scotland’.
Mr Swinney 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.’
