Homosexual lobby groups who are campaigning for same-sex marriage in Scotland receive nearly £2000 a day in public funding, according to recently uncovered figures.
Stonewall, the Equality Network and LGBT Youth were handed £720,000 in tax-payer funded grants this financial year.
The move has drawn criticism from traditional marriage campaigners who have received no public-funding.
Campaign
A spokesman for campaign group Scotland for Marriage said: “The sharp-suited lobbyists pushing for marriage to be redefined are awash with taxpayers’ money.
“This issue has never come from the streets, it has come from the very cosy relationship between campaigners and the Holyrood machine.
“These lobby groups are almost an arm of the state and taxpayers are footing the bill.
Elitist
“Ordinary people who struggle to pay their bills want their tax to be spent on essential public services, not this elitist sideshow of meddling with marriage.
“Scotland for Marriage is a grassroots campaign that hasn’t received a penny from public funds. We stand on our own two feet because we have the backing of over 40,000 people who care about marriage.”
Colin Macfarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland, claimed their campaign activity for same-sex marriage is funded solely by supporters.
Access
He added: “We agree with Scotland for Marriage that people want money to be spent on public services and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are taxpayers who deserve the same level of treatment as everyone else when accessing key services.”
The Scottish Government are planning to redefine marriage and a consultation looking into the details of a draft Bill closed on Wednesday.
An initial consultation found that more than two-thirds of respondents opposed the plans, but ministers chose to press on regardless.