Constance and family member ‘driven to Old Firm cup final in Government car’

Justice secretary Angela Constance travelled with a close family member in a ministerial car to the Old Firm league cup final on Sunday, it has been reported.

It comes after health secretary Neil Gray received criticism for being chauffeured to a series of football matches involving the team he supports, Aberdeen.

Gray apologised in Parliament after admitting he had given the impression of “acting more as a fan and less as a minister”, and said he should have “attended a wider range of games”.

Constance and a relative attended the game as guests of the Scottish Professional Football League, with the SPFL discussing the need for an increased use of football banning orders with the justice secretary.

The Conservatives said Constance’s journey shows the Government has “learned nothing” from Gray’s apology.

On Tuesday, a new version of the ministerial code was published.

It encourages ministers to use public transport “where practicable” and said close family members can only use official cars on an “exceptional basis”.

However, it said family members can use ministerial cars where it is “clearly in the public interest”.

Sunday’s match at Hampden saw Celtic defeat Rangers in a penalty shootout.

The revised ministerial code came into effect on Tuesday, meaning Constance’s journey would have been covered by a previous version of the code.

A Scottish Government spokesman told the newspaper: “The Justice Secretary attended Sunday’s match for official Government business.

“During the engagement, she discussed with the SPFL the continued efforts to tackle the illegal use of pyrotechnics at football matches and observed the policing of such sporting events.”

Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “The public will be astonished that Angela Constance deemed it appropriate to use a ministerial car to go to the Old Firm this weekend.

“Clearly she has learned nothing from how angry the public feel about Neil Gray’s ‘limogate’ scandal where he charged the taxpayer to watch his favourite team, Aberdeen.

“It’s no wonder public trust in politicians is at an all-time low when senior SNP figures are using taxpayer-funded limos to take family members to football matches, all under the flimsy pretence of ministerial duties.”