SNP branded hypocrites for costs ₤ 474k on social media advertisements after knocking Tories over ₤ 20k costs – Daily Record
The Scottish Government has actually been accused of hypocrisy after more than doubling costs on social networks advertising in just 3 years.
Ministers turned over an overall of ₤ 474,298 to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and LinkedIn in 2018-19 compared to just ₤ 271,308 in 2017-18.
The expenditure came regardless of the SNP branding the UK Federal government’s Scotland Workplace a “Tory propaganda machine” last year after former Scottish secretary David Mundell spent almost ₤ 20,000 on Twitter advertisements.
The Scottish Federal government spending figures were launched to Labour MSP Neil Findlay in response to a parliamentary question.
He told the Sunday Mail: “Here is SNP hypocrisy exposed, savaging others for making use of public cash for social media advertising, then in a basic election year almost doubling the Scottish Government invest in the extremely same thing.
“It is the arrogance of power and a belief they can do what they like and their hypocrisy will not be exposed.”
Scottish Conservative primary whip Maurice Golden included: “It’s tremendously hypocritical, provided the Nationalists have actually been crucial of other
federal government departments utilizing social media.”
In 2015-16, the Scottish Federal government spent simply ₤ 211,482.74 on social media projects consisting of roadway security and house energy– ₤ 186,859 on Facebook, ₤ 22,522 on Twitter and ₤ 2100 on Instagram.
In 2016-17, this jumped to ₤ 264,763– again the bulk of it on Facebook and the rest on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
The next year the invest leapt to ₤ 271,308, with Snapchat signing up with the list.
Total spend then soared in 2015 to ₤ 474,298. This time ₤ 299,370 went to Facebook, ₤ 88,188 to Instagram, ₤ 50,233 to Twitter, ₤ 30,712 to Snapchat and ₤ 5793 to LinkedIn.
Find out more From April to December 2019, another ₤ 281,382 of public cash was invested on social media marketing.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Costs on social networks is an essential part of our interactions campaign, a cost-effective way to reach target audiences.
“Social media has played a vital role in recent effective campaigns on roadway security, teacher recruitment, the increased accessibility of early knowing and child care and motivating EU people in Scotland to use up settled status.”
In December, Boris Johnson was accused of misusing taxpayers’ cash to target voters in key swing constituencies with Facebook advertisements.
At least 17 advertisements assuring up to ₤ 25million financial investment in the areas across the UK appeared the day the basic election was announced.
In March, the Sunday Mail revealed how Mundell had invested practically ₤ 20,000 on social networks marketing.
He was accused of turning the taxpayer-funded Scotland Office into a “Tory propaganda machine” in the run-up to a Brexit vote that Theresa May went on to desert.
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