# Welcome to SNP Scotland, where being a minister, an MSP or a civil servant means NEVER having to say you’re sorry

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/welcome-to-snp-scotland-where-being-a-minister-an-msp-or-a-civil-servant-means-never-having-to-say-youre-sorry/
- Published: 2026-09-04T17:35:19+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-04T17:44:10+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16106087/Welcome-SNP-Scotland-minister-MSP-civil-servant-means-NEVER-having-say-youre-sorry.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Scottish National Investment Bank lost £137.5million in 2025-26
- Chief executive still due £34,000 bonus atop £214,000 salary
- Piece cites this as part of a pattern of SNP-era unaccountability

## Summary

Days after it emerged that Scotland's National Investment Bank posted losses of £137.5million in 2025-26, this Daily Mail opinion piece argues the episode typifies a wider culture of unaccountability among SNP ministers, MSPs and public sector officials. The bank's chief executive, David Ritchie, is nonetheless in line for a £34,000 performance bonus on top of his £214,000 salary, prompting the piece to accuse Scotland's political and administrative establishment of insulating decision-makers from the consequences of failure.

The article notes the bank was launched by Nicola Sturgeon in November 2020 with a pledge of £2billion in taxpayer support over a decade, billed as one of devolution's most significant developments. It cites Scottish Conservative spokesman Craig Hoy's criticism that taxpayers are "stomaching" £138million in losses while executives still collect bonuses, and draws a parallel with the case of former NHS Fife chief executive Carol Potter, who announced early retirement shortly before an employment tribunal ruling in the Sandie Peggie case concerning changing-room facilities at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.