SNP MPs have written to the UK Transport Secretary demanding answers on why his department authorised a private flight to depart from Inverness airport to Moscow.
SNP Transport spokesperson, Gavin Newlands MP, and local Inverness MP, Drew Hendry MP, have written to Grant Shapps asking exactly who gave the authorisation for the flight to depart despite a Notice of Air Missions (NOTAM) to prevent such flights.
The letter follows a report by the Press and Journal newspaper which uncovered a memo confirming that the UK government gave the flight authorisation, even after the Transport Secretary accused Inverness airport of “failing to comply” with the NOTAM regulations.
Commenting, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Drew Hendry, said:
“The UK Transport Secretary must first apologise for scapegoating Inverness Airport and set the record straight that it was his department that authorised the flight.
“He must then answer the pressing questions over why this flight was allowed to take off and who and what was on it.
“These are important questions following a raft of reports showing how much Russian money is swilling about Tory coffers.”
Commenting, SNP Transport spokesperson, Gavin Newlands MP said:
“This whole situation grows murkier by the day – something we are becoming used to with this Westminster government mired in sleaze and scandal.
“The public deserve clear and transparent answers immediately – otherwise suspicion will understandably grow over why the UK Tory government has allowed private flights with Russian citizens, wealth and assets to flee to Moscow at a time when only humanitarian flights should have been permitted.”
