Saoirse Ronan attends the opening gala world premiere of The Outrun during the Edinburgh International Festival
By Democrat reporter
Under-fire Neil Gray is facing more questions after it emerged he took a taxpayer-funded limo to attend a glitzy film premiere. The Health Secretary is already facing calls to quit after being chauffeured to Aberdeen football matches with the public purse picking up the bill.
Now, the Scottish Conservatives say there is a “growing pattern of behaviour”, alleging Mr Gray, pictured right, indulges in his outside interests under the guise of government business.
The SNP MSP, who was promoted to the Cabinet by First Minister John Swinney after Nicola Sturgeon quit under a cloud, attended the Cameo Cinema in Edinburgh on August 15 for the premiere of The Outrun.
He mingled with the likes of Saoirse Ronan, who stars in the film. According to reports in the Daily Mail, Mr Gray met with representatives from Screen Scotland at a reception to discuss “culture”.
Mr Gray, 38, has not had ministerial responsibility for culture since March 2023 with it usually falling under the remit of Angus Robertson. The visit came after a series of meetings related to his position as health secretary, which he was handed in February after his predecessor Michael Matheson stepped down.
He attended the event with his wife before taking a ministerial limo to a ‘personal address’. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton, pictured left, said: “There is a growing pattern of behaviour from Neil Gray.
“He has serious questions to answer over why he was chauffeured in the ministerial limo to and from a film premiere. It looks as though he likes to use his position of privilege to indulge in his favourite passions, rather than focusing on his actual job.
“The scandal smacks of another SNP cover-up and it won’t go away until he is fully upfront about why he was at certain events and if any government business actually took place.” Mr Gray had previously said he “cannot wait” to see The Outrun, which is based in Orkney, where he grew up.
An adaptation of Orcadian writer Amy Liptrot’s memoir about recovering from alcoholism, it stars Ronan as the character ‘Rona”, who battles with alcohol abuse. The cast also includes Outlander icon Lauren Lyle and Game of Thrones actor Stephen Dillane.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Ministers attend sporting and cultural events as part of their ministerial duties.”