Charities have condemned the SNP for charging “unaffordable” prices for fringe stalls at this week’s party conference, after a more than doubling of fees since last year, writes Mary O’Connor.
Several organisations decided to boycott the event at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre having discovered they would need to spend nearly £3,000 for the smallest stall, or a minimum of £1,000 to hold a fringe meeting.
Think tanks and campaign groups have been quoted more than £5,000 for a small stall, while a standard fringe meeting would cost nearly £2,000.
Robin McAlpine, director of the Common Weal, said his think tank had booked a double stall at last year’s SNP conference in Aberdeen for £1,600, but was quoted £4,000 for a single stall this