THE BBC has been criticised after the cost of First Minister John Swinney’s trip to the US featured as one of the main stories on the UK-wide News at Six.
The SNP leader, along with officials and sports minister Maree Todd, flew to America for the World Cup in June, and also held trade talks in Kentucky.
According to data published by the Scottish Government under Freedom of Information laws, almost £100,000 was spent on various flights to and from Boston, Kentucky, and Miami.
On Thursday, Swinney defended the cost, telling the BBC: “Obviously, when flights have got to be booked, when there’s intense pressure on the time involved, then the costs are likely to be higher.”
“We tried to minimise those costs,” he added.
The story was reported on the BBC’s flagship News at Six as a lead item, although James Cook, the Scotland editor for BBC News, did add: “It's worth pointing out, in fairness, that Mr Swinney is not the first politician to travel at public expense to a sporting event.
“The UK Government has not yet published the cost of sending its sports minister to the World Cup, but Sir Keir Starmer did attend two football finals as prime minister, and the combined travel cost of those, according to documents published by the Cabinet Office, was more than £100,000.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also faced criticism after using a private jet to fly from London to Glasgow, and from Glasgow to Manchester in July . Reports said the costs for the flights could have been as high as £30,000, but the BBC did not cover the story.
Questions were raised on social media about the prominence the BBC gave to the costs accrued by the Scottish ministers.
The MSM Monitor account on X said the “demise of the BBC [was] summed up in this tawdry smear item from the main UK News at Six”.
I assume we will get regular updates on the PMs travel costs every week to and from Manchester pic.twitter.com/07ZxkwTtVn
— Christopher McEleny (@ChrisMcEleny) August 21, 2026
Economist William Thomson said: “Wow. A slot on the main BBC news. Absolutely unbelievable.”
Broadcaster Billy Kay responded: “Quite pathetic from the BBC. As a foot soldier of the Tartan Army in Boston I know that our presence alone gained millions in the hearts and minds of American society.
“As FM, John was there to capitalise on the soft diplomacy we achieved. Only BBC Shortbread would object.”
“I assume we will get regular updates on the PMs travel costs every week to and from Manchester,” former Alba general secretary Chris McEleny said.
Last month, a BBC insider told The National that the broadcaster had sent a "freeloader" executive to the World Cup when it was "perfectly obvious he didn’t need to be there" .
The BBC has refused to reveal the cost of sending its own staff to the World Cup, claiming that the information is held for journalistic purposes and therefore exempt under Freedom of Information laws.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Our FOI response explains that providing World Cup spend and staffing would disclose editorial decision-making, which is protected to safeguard the BBC’s editorial independence. It outlines the review and appeal rights available if a requester is not satisfied.”
