Stephen Flynn enjoyed £900 Champions League freebie at Spurs after lodging EV question
Exclusive: The SNP's Commons leader asked about a £25m grant scheme for electric vehicle chargers in England before trotting off to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, courtesy of an EV firm in Glasgow
Stephen Flynn accepted a £900 hospitality ticket at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from a Glasgow electric vehicle firm – just hours after asking a question about EV chargers.
The SNP's Commons leader is a supporter of EVs but the timing of his parliamentary question may raise eyebrows, given that it was lodged hours before he was due to watch Spurs take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
The Aberdeen South MP has declared the freebie in the latest update to his register of interests. The gift was courtesy of Wyre Holdings, a Glasgow-based company founded by American entrepreneur Rebecca Hansen.
On January 20, Mr Flynn asked the UK Government about its £25million grant scheme for English councils to pay for EV chargers. He wanted to know "for what policy reason cross-pavement solutions were selected". It was the third in a series of questions the SNP MP has lodged on the topic.
Later that evening, he says he was at the match to see Spurs beat the German giants 2-0. It proved to be only a temporary respite for the English side's manager Thomas Frank, who has since been sacked.
Hospitality on offer at the £1billion stadium – one of the most advanced in Europe – includes padded seats with premium views of the action on the pitch as well as top-quality dining and drinks.
Previously, Mr Flynn has defended his freebies by saying there was a link to his constituency, such as when oil giant BP gave him two tickets with hospitality to watch the tennis at Wimbledon in July 2023.
Asked about accepting the gift, Stephen Flynn told the P&J: "Energy companies are fundamental to the prosperity of Aberdeen and will continue to play a key role as we embark on a just energy transition that safeguards jobs and employment in the city I am proud to represent."
Meanwhile, Mr Flynn also missed a key Westminster debate on the agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on the evening of January 20. He has described the deal as "progress" and the SNP is in favour of returning the islands, which they describe as a remnant of Britain's "colonial past".
Many critics believe the deal favours China, and it has sparked months of diplomatic tension between the US and the UK. Under the terms of the treaty, the UK will lease back the island of Diego Garcia – home to a US/UK military base – at a cost to the taxpayer of £101m a year.
President Donald Trump initially said he had no objections, before suddenly changing course on January 20 to describe the treaty as "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY". Also that day, the Tories launched a parliamentary bid to delay the draft law to ratify the Chagos Islands Deal.
But no SNP MPs were present to take part in the debate or the votes, which concluded at 7.38pm – just as Mr Flynn was preparing to settle into his padded seat and enjoy the match in north London.
