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Shetland MSP defends hiring 'artist-in-residence' with £11,000 of public funds
Überblick
Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad has defended her decision to use £11,000 of her parliamentary staff budget to hire a four-month, 35-hour-a-week "artist-in-residence" and a communications assistant for the Shetland language. Goodlad stated the roles are necessary to make politics more accessible and connect with the community. The recruitment faced criticism from Reform MSP Max Bannerman, who described the artist role as "state-funded propaganda" and argued that public money should instead be spent on bread-and-butter constituency issues.
Wichtige Punkte
- Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad is hiring an artist-in-residence and a communications assistant for the Shetland language using £11,000 from her parliamentary staff budget.
- The artist-in-residence position is a 35-hour-a-week, four-month contract aimed at engaging the community and reflecting policy priorities.
- Goodlad defended the roles as essential for making politics feel more accessible and connecting with the local population in a unique way.
- Reform MSP Max Bannerman criticised the spending as "state-funded propaganda" and an unwise use of public money amid other pressing local issues.
- Goodlad dismissed the criticism, stating she takes no lectures from tabloids or the Reform Party and highlighted local backing for a culture town bid.