Perks row over £75k profit on city flat
John Swinney was at the centre of a fresh row over MSP perks today after it emerged he had made a £75,000 profit from the sale of his taxpayer-funded city home.
The Finance Secretary bought the four-bedroom Morningside flat for £355,000 in 2003. He used parliamentary allowances to pay the interest on his RBS mortgage, claiming a total of over £60,000 from the public purse.
Mr Swinney, whose main home is in his North Tayside constituency, put the property in Hermitage Terrace on the market in June at offers over £395,000.
Records show he sold it for £430,000. After capital gains tax, his profit was around £57,000.