The SNP ‘cash-for-votes’ scandal has intensified after it emerged a senior minister overruled civil servants who warned against announcing taxpayers’ money for crofters shortly before last month’s council elections.

Emails disclosed under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act revealed that Fergus Ewing ignored the advice of his officials that the Scottish Government should not announce £1 million on housing for crofters so close to polling day.

But Mr Ewing, the Rural Economy Minister, insisted that the announcement go ahead and civil servants justified the about-turn by arguing it would not impact on the election because “the crofting counties are within a clearly defined geographical area.”

However, official guidance covering the pre-election ‘purdah’ period warns against funding announcements that have a “particular impact on local areas” or a “specific local dimension.”

The emails also suggest that Mike Russell, the Brexit Minister, or an SNP spin doctor added political pro-EU comment to a separate announcement about fisheries, which officials wanted to be neutral.

The disclosures raise more questions about the conduct of Scottish Government ministers and civil servants in the run-up to the May 4 local authority elections, with Nicola Sturgeon under pressure to order a “sleaze” investigation.

Emails published last week showed that senior mandarins admitted it was an “error of judgement” to announce £8 million for Glasgow, Ms Sturgeon’s top target in the election, only 48 hours before polling day.