Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad has defended her decision to hire an “artist in residence” for her constituency, at a cost of £11,000 of public money.

The SNP public finance minister is recruiting a Shetland-based creative, of any discipline, to engage with the community and deliver projects reflecting policy priorities.

The 35 hour-a-week job – a four-month-long contract paid from Goodlad’s parliamentary staff budget, has been criticised by Reform MSP Max Bannerman as “state-funded propaganda.”

Goodlad is also hiring a communications assistant to translate content into the Shetland language. She said the roles are essential to make politics “feel more accessible” across the islands.

The jobs were the subject of the Scottish Daily Mail, external front page voicing concerns over the creative roles.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, Goodlad said: “I don’t take much guidance from the tabloids and I’m pretty sure Shetland listeners don’t either.

“I have also been in politics to do things in a really different way and I’m in this to make sure politics feels different and more accessible.

“So I am very excited to advertise these roles here in Shetland to see what kind of passion we can bring into the team and help communicate our message across Shetland and help us connect with folk across Shetland in a very unique way.”

Goodlad also recently hired a communications assistant. She said she would not be advertising the roles if they were not necessary.

“I wouldn’t be hiring for the role if there wasn’t a need, this is a very specific role that I want to explore different ways of reaching out across Shetland and connecting with different parts of the population.

“There is a job that needs done in terms of reaching out right across the community and making folk feel like politics is for them.

“This is why I am bringing in this more artistic role, but also the Shetland language role as well,” she said.

Reform MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Max Bannerman, criticised the move as “state-funded propaganda.”

He wrote on X: “Contributions in the chamber have been full of sanctimony and faux indignation.

“So no surprise at today’s Daily Mail splash on her “personal artist”. Does she think she’s Mary Queen of Scots?”

Goodlad responded: “I’ll be taking no lectures from Max Bannerman, a man who failed to win his constituency seat, and I’ll be taking no lectures from the Reform Party, a party that is creating a lot of division.

“Just now we are united in backing the bid to become the culture town of 2028, so I think this is a fantastic opportunity for more creative folk to join the local MSP team.”

Bannerman later said: “I think Shetlanders will be looking at this and thinking what on earth is going on. The job of an MSP is to focus on the bread and butter constituency issues and escalating that where necessary.

“There is also the aspect of spending public money. I do not think this is a wise use of public money and I think most people looking at the £11,000 figure would agree.

“I was in Shetland ten days ago speaking to lots of local organisations and people, and my instinct was they have some big issues to do with fishing, energy, infrastructure, ferries and other things and they would prefer an MSP who just cracks on with that job.”