NICOLA STURGEON was under pressure yesterday to stop awarding public contracts to tax-dodging companies and give back donations from multimillionaire Brian Souter.

The Scottish First Minister and SNP leader published her tax return at the weekend in the wake of tax avoidance revelations.

It showed she had forgone £20,000 since 2009 in a system which sees ministers put their money towards public services and she vowed: “I’m going to continue to argue very strongly for reform of tax avoidance.”

But transport union TSSA said its members want real sanctions against companies making a profit from the public purse and then exploiting legislation to pay minimal taxes on that profit.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said the Panama Papers were a “source of national outrage” and the SNP “shouldn’t be allowed to wriggle off the hook.”

He said Ms Sturgeon should hand back donations from Stagecoach boss Mr Souter, whose company profits from public transport contracts but was found to have dodged £11 million in taxes last month.

“Frankly, Nicola needs to toughen up on her patriotism and show that she will stand up for ordinary Scots folk against Scotland’s tax deserters,” said Mr Cortes.

He urged her to “put her tax money where her mouth is and shout out that no public contract in Scotland will be awarded to any company with form for tax avoidance.”The SNP were unavailable for comment.