THE UK Government has ramped up spending on marketing and research consultants as part of efforts to defend the Union, with almost £100,000 spent on contracts in a month.

Figures released by the Cabinet Office show details of spending on three companies in December and January relating to the “Union campaign”.

The first, totalling £34,617, was given to Engine Partners UK for advertising.

The company describes itself as 13 specialist marketing agencies under one roof, which work together to “provide transformational business outcomes” for clients and have a focus on digital campaigns. Another contract of £30,250 was spent on research and development with Britain Thinks, an insight and strategy consultancy.

A third contract of £26,400 was also recorded in January for services from research agency Solutions Strategy Research Facilitation.

However there was no major spending detailed by the Cabinet Office on the Union campaign between January and November last year, according to the figures which cover expenditure over £25,000.

SNP depute leader Keith Brown said: “The Tories are in panic mode.

“With yet another poll this week showing a majority in support of independence, Boris Johnson is wasting bucket loads of taxpayers’ cash flogging a dead horse.

“Despite their Trump-style denial of democracy in public, privately the Tories know a post-pandemic independence referendum is coming or they would not be spending this cash.

“The greener, fairer and healthier Scotland that we know is possible is within touching distance.”

The Cabinet Office contracts is the latest evidence showing the UK Government’s increasing spending on defending the Union, in light of a succession of polls showing majority support for independence.

Last month, newly released Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and recently published job adverts, revealed that Downing Street was spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on new staff for its Union Unit.

Examples include a salary of £110,000-£114,999 for Oliver Lewis – the former Vote Leave staffer – who quit as head of the Union Unit less than two weeks into the job.

Following his departure it was reported the Union Unit was being replaced by a new Cabinet committee chaired by the Prime Minister to “set the UK Government strategic agenda on the Union”.

Meanwhile an estimated £280,000 was allocated for “at least” four new “heads of role” posts in Michael Gove’s Union Directorate – including heads of communications, policy, analysis and engagement, each advertised at a salary of £64,500-£70,877.

The Cabinet Office did not respond to a request for comment on further details of the contracts.