High cost of spin

Despite being the first First Minister under devolution to have a single-party majority in the Scottish Parliament (with the support of only 45 per cent of the electors who voted in May 2011) and having the support and advice of thousands of civil servants, The Scotsman now 
reveals (4 October) that Alex 
Salmond feels the need to employ numerous party political aides and spin doctors on an additional budget of nearly £1 million a year.

This should be deeply worrying to all who care about democratic government in Scotland, now and in the future.

It therefore makes all the more important the continuing role of a vigorous and independent press.

Norman Bonney

Palmerston Place

Edinburgh