SNP's Neil Gray FINALLY says sorry for taking free football tickets

A senior Scottish minister under attack for accepting free football tickets and using his official car to travel to matches sparked more anger today - by saying he should have gone to MORE games.

SNP health secretary Neil Gray said he 'regretted accepting' tickets to watch Aberdeen - the team he supports. 

But he suggested his error was not going to games featuring other teams, rather than accepting the hospitality in the first place.

Mr Gray has been under pressure after it emerged he had attended five games at Hampden by invitation of the Scottish Football Association, and was chauffeured there in an official vehicle. 

Four games featured Aberdeen and the other was a Scotland international, but he has been backed by senior SNP ministers including Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.

In a statement today he insisted it was 'legitimate' for him to attend games, but that he should have 'attended a wider range of games' and apologised for that 'error'.

However the Scottish Tories lashed out at his position. Deputy leader Rachael Hamilton likened it to the scandal involving SNP minister Michael Matheson, who quit after running up a £12,000 data bill by allowing his kids to watch Scotland matches on his official iPad while abroad.

'Neil Gray used government limos to watch his favourite football team and billed them to the taxpayer,' she said.

'He seems to be saying he wasn't wrong to charge taxpayers - he was just wrong to only go to Aberdeen games.'

Mr Gray attended one of the cup ties during his time as Health Secretary while the other two were in his previous role as wellbeing economy, fair work and energy secretary.

All were paid for by the Scottish Football Association.

Mr Gray went on to tell MSPs that he had been accompanied by a family member who had travelled in his ministerial car. But he stressed that 'this did not come at any additional cost to the taxpayer'.

He added that ministers across the UK 'are right to attend sporting events' as part of their official role.

He said this was because it is 'crucial we engage, support sport and are seen to do so'.

While he said he is an Aberdeen FC fan, he added: 'I should not have allowed the impression to be given that this played any role in my engagements.'

Speaking at Holyrood, Mr Gray said: 'It is a matter of regret to me that, by attending four Aberdeen games, I have given the impression of acting more as a fan and less as a minister.'

While he said he had also attended Scotland national team games and other sporting events, he added: 'When it comes to domestic football, I should have ensured I went to see teams other than Aberdeen.'

The Health Secretary said: 'It was not planned that way, but I should not have allowed that situation to develop.

'I should have made sure that I attended a wider range of games and not just Aberdeen, and I apologise for my error.'

Speaking during a visit to the Clyde Gateway East Business Park in Glasgow, the Deputy First Minister defended her Cabinet colleague.

Ms Forbes said: “Neil Gray is the minister for health and sport, so it is quite appropriate that he engages with stakeholders in the health service but also within the sports world, and that includes football.

“Now he is making a statement to Parliament this week on the questions that have arisen in the press.

“He will be able to take questions from the opposition and answer them robustly, because he has operated, as I understand it, entirely within the rules of what governs both our transport as well as how we engage with stakeholders.”

Asked if it was a resigning issue, Ms Forbes said: “I don’t think it is, no. I think that as the minister for health and sport, it is entirely appropriate for him to engage with sports stakeholders.”