Nicola Sturgeon rejects cronyism accusation over ferries contract

Scottish first minister defends decision to give 97m contract in 2016 to financier Jim McColl

Nicola Sturgeon has utterly" refuted allegations that a decision to award a major ferries contract to an ally of the Scottish government was jobs for the boys".

The first minister told MSPs there was nothing improper about her government's decision to give a 97m contract to build two ferries in 2016 to Jim McColl, a financier who had advised Scottish ministers on the economy and was a political ally of her predecessor, Alex Salmond.