Too dear leader

Alex Salmond’s outrage that anyone should have the temerity to ask him to provide details of how he personally spends taxpayers’ money indicates his new self-image (your report, 24 January).

In his own mind, he has become – along with the thistle and the deep-fried Mars Bar – a Scottish icon and, like his “auld ally” Louis XIV, truly believes, “L’Ecosse, c’est moi”.

This is what lies behind his state visit to the Ryder Cup event in the United States, where he was mocked by Scots golf fans, and his travelling circus racked up bills of £500,000. If the Dear Leader is successful in September, we may expect many more of these “Third World dictator” jaunts with expenses that will neither be spared nor explained.

Dr John Cameron

Howard Place

St Andrews, Fife