The SNP have slammed the UK Government’s decision to appeal a ruling which would have forced them to disclose information about secret polling conducted on public attitudes to the Union.

The First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) Information Rights ruled last month that the information requested by SNP MP Tommy Sheppard (below) “relates to the implementation of existing policy rather than to policy development” and, as a result, the Cabinet Office were ordered to disclose the information within 28 days.

The SNP have called for a full public inquiry into the revelation that the UK Government used funds for Covid contracts to conduct research related to constitutional issues.

The National: Tommy Sheppard

READ MORE: Tories appeal ruling to release secret polling on the Union as deadline expires

Sheppard, the SNP's constitutional affairs spokesman, hit out at the last minute decision by Michael Gove's Cabinet Office to appeal.

“It has now been 28 days since the Tribunal ruled that the information requested must be made public, yet I have failed to receive any information or update from the Cabinet Office," he said.

“Emergency Covid contracts were supposed to be used for things like PPE, or for our doctors and nurses fighting Covid.

“Instead, during the height of this pandemic, Mr Gove used emergency contracts to commission political research on constitutional issues. Furthermore, he handed these lucrative contracts to long-time friends and former employees.

“I have long suspected that Mr Gove did not want the information surrounding secret polling made public – his decision to appeal the Tribunal’s ruling further enhances that suspicion. If he has nothing to hide, why does he feel the need to appeal?

“This UK Government are hiding vital information from the general public – full transparency on how their money has been misspent is urgently required."