Campaign funds

On Tuesday evening my wife and I attended a public Q&A event in Edinburgh’s Newtongrange, organised by the Scottish Government.

The aim of the evening, we were told by the civil servant in charge, was to answer questions and inform us about the future of Scotland following the forthcoming referendum.

The justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, made a lengthy statement before the first questions. This pattern continued for the next hour – a few questions followed by an increasingly verbose speech from the Justice Secretary, which did nothing to answer the questions from the floor. In fact, there was little or no time to press questions and certainly no new information. Anyone undecided as to how to vote would certainly be no further forward.

It amounted to a party political broadcast for the Yes campaign organised by civil servants who are supposed to be impartial.

The event was supported by literature published by the Scottish Government and therefore paid for by the tax payer.

Will the No campaign be given similar facilities and finance?

Arthur Barlow 

Redwood Grove

Newtongrange, Midlothian