Opposition politicians are “making mischief” with accusations that the First Minister misled Holyrood over claims about pensions, a spokesman for John Swinney has said.
The First Minister has been under pressure to correct the record after he said the decision to scrap the triple lock would mean people “lose their pensions” in an exchange with Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay last week.
Mr Findlay and Scottish Labour MSP Claire Baker wrote to Mr Swinney urging him to clarify what he said, but on Monday he said he had “nothing to explain”.
Speaking to journalists in a Government briefing on Tuesday, a spokesman for the First Minister accused opposition politicians of playing politics with the issue.
“I think it was pretty well understood what he was saying,” the spokesman said.
“Actually, I think people on the other side who are trying to make mischief about this, all they are doing is revealing how desperate they are, frankly, on this whole issue.
“This is yet another campaign promise made during the 2014 referendum campaign which has been completely demolished.
“Once again, people see the promises made to them if they vote to stay in the union are not worth the paper they’re written on.”
Asked if it was “desperate” for the First Minister to make the claims about pensions in the first place, the spokesman added: “He is not feeling desperate about this matter, I can absolutely assure you, he knows that he’s on the right side of it.”
Speaking later in Holyrood, the First Minister said: “The decision by the Prime Minister, which was announced last week, to scrap the triple lock will have a detrimental impact on pensioners in Scotland.
“By applying Scotland’s projected share of the UK state pension age population, the Scottish Government estimates pensioners in Scotland could receive around £1.3 billion less per year by 2039-40, rising to around £4 billion by 2049-50, compared to the current triple lock being maintained.
“This is a real loss of around £2,000 per person per year if they are a pensioner.
“What this demonstrates is an erosion of the pension settlement that was promised as a guarantee to individuals in 2014.
“This is a very clear example of how the Union is detrimental to the interests of pensions, pensioners in Scotland are losing out, the future for pensioners is independence.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said Scots “rightly expect better from their politicians than this”.
“John Swinney’s taxpayer-funded press officers are spinning so hard they must be dizzy,” she said.
“Instead of accepting that they have pushed out misinformation, the SNP are now doubling down on it and trying to deflect by any means necessary.”