Nicola Sturgeon has been blasted after it was revealed her government paid the former boss of a scandal-hit shipyard £3,000 per day.
Tim Hair was hired as a "turnaround director" at Ferguson Marine after the business was nationalised by SNP ministers in 2019.
The maritime expert was paid a daily rate of £3,000 plus expenses, according to documents obtained by Scottish Labour.
The yard entered administration before Hair's appointment after it was plagued by delays and cost overruns associated with the construction of two new CalMac ferries - both of which are still to be finished.
It was announced last week that both vessels won't enter service until the end of 2023 at the earliest.
Labour leader Anas Sarwar today pressed the First Minister on the money paid to Hair - who has since left the business - and asked her if she thought she was "signing Lionel Mess?".
He said: "The waste of public money - a quarter of a billion pounds so far - by the government at Fergusons does not end with the award of the ferry contract.
"In August 2019, Tim Hair was appointed as turnaround director at the yard.
"Emails obtained through Freedom of Information show the appointment was rushed through without the usual competition in just a few days.
"Mr Hair was selected from a shortlist of just three people. In the process of negotiating his salary, he started by offering a rate of £2,000 per day - but ended up being paid £3,000 per day and expenses.
"These emails show the First Minister was informed about all of this and didn't raise a single objection."
Sturgeon responded: "These decisions were taken at the time in line with proper processes and procedures and people paying the market rate.
"I don't set the market rate for what people are paid.
"There is a new chief executive in place at Fergusons and he has updated the parliament on the revised timescale for the ferries."
She added: "More than anything, we will concentrate on competing the ferries and concentrate on securing a good future for the shipyard."
Sarwar hit back: "Market rate? £3,000 per day? Were you signing Lionel Messi?
"Who is the First Minister kidding? I don't hear any apology or any regret for paying this man £2 million.
"Let's not forget - that £2 million was to turn around the yard. But the ferries still are not delivered and are costing more."
The First Minister said she did not think the experience of the ferries contract was “acceptable in any way, shape or form”.
She continued: “We should not lose sight of the fact that but for Government intervention, this shipyard would no longer be operational, it would no longer be open and there would be nobody employed.
“Right now we have more than 400 people employed in that shipyard and we intend to do everything we can to ensure that it has a bright future, which I think is what people in Port Glasgow and across Scotland will want to see.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
