Taxing question

Has anyone else noticed that the SNP has yet to explain why they did not use the tax-varying power of the Scottish Parliament, and indeed handed it back to Westminster? Yet 63 per cent of voting Scots supported it in the 1997 referendum.

Could a cynical answer be that people do not really like paying more tax -– even for childcare, health and education? And the SNP did not dare to use the power? It is surely two-faced to complain of austerity but fail to use every power available to ease it.

Moyra Forrest

Starbank Road,

Edinburgh