True cost of spin

Published on 09/10/2012 00:00

Norman Bonney (Letters, 7 October) fails to point out that – allowing for inflation – the current cost of Alex Salmond’s “spin doctors” is no more than under the last Labour/Liberal Democrat administration.

Given that few, if any, newspapers support the current 
Scottish Government, it could be argued that it is harder for the SNP to get its policy achievements message over.

If Norman Bonney really is concerned about taxpayers’ cash, he should be calling for the scrapping of the Scotland Office in London, whose remit has shrunk since devolution but its budget and staffing costs have spiralled out of control, mainly used to attack the Scottish Government. Alternatively, what about the recent UK Treasury advert for an overtly political adviser based in Edinburgh to attack the 
pro-independence campaign at £50,000 a year plus office costs for a post that will end just 
after the likely date of the 
referendum?

Calum Stewart

Montague Street

Edinburgh