Salmond should forgo his 'golden handshake' from Westminster

BAR an evident zeal over House of Commons food allowances, Alex Salmond has largely avoided the scandal over the abuse of MPs' expenses and allowances. Now he is leaving Westminster, he is set to collect a substantial personal pay-off. In indicating that he intends to give some – though we know not how much – of this "retirement" sum to charity, we acknowledge his concern to act in good faith. However, on both principle and timing, we believe Mr Salmond has cause to think again.

There is something odd about a champion of Scotland's withdrawal from the UK parliament accepting a farewell sum in his own regard. Mr Salmond is hardly "retiring" from political life, or from exercising influence on the Westminster parliament. On the contrary, he shows every intention of continuing as First Minister of Scotland and, in that capacity, continuing to campaign for independence. If there is any notion of "retirement" here, Mr Salmond would be the first to dispute it.

What should also give him cause to think again is the stark coincidence of the receipt of this pay-off and the painful cuts in public spending ahead for Scotland. Mr Salmond may protest that he is fighting these, and he has made clear he will use the possible outcome of a hung parliament to unite with Plaid Cymru in seeking to secure additional spending for Scotland and Wales – as if the government's debt and deficit crisis was of no concern. Large sections of Scottish public opinion know that such reductions are unavoidable and, indeed, that a fundamental re-examination of Scotland's budget is overdue.

Scotland is facing cuts in public-sector expenditure on a scale without recent precedent. Current estimates suggest that spending could decline in real terms by up to 14 per cent by 2014, potentially a cut of about 4 billion to the 2013-14 budget, compared with 2009-10. Both the seriousness of the scale of reduction required in public expenditure and the scale of the shift required in the level of services and how they are delivered are well set out in an advice paper by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) to the Scottish Parliament's finance committee.

It argues that the scope and scale of the reduction required over the next spending review period must be made clear at the highest levels of government. It stresses that central government must provide leadership, set out targets for the spending period and provide guidance on what services are essential. It also says it is urgent that all central policies are re-evaluated with a level of realism as to what is absolutely essential to the Scottish public and economy.

There are many positive ideas set out by the RSE, including the mutualisation of housing stock and shared local authority services in areas ranging from health and social welfare to waste management and transport services.

Across the entire programme, leadership will be required. It is the duty of the First Minister to provide it. When people are being asked to make sacrifices, leadership is best set by personal example and by a facing up to truths, however politically unpalatable they may be.