Facts inevitably spoil one-sided narrative

Sir, – Once again, we are seeing the fiction over facts contribution by Allan MacDougall, in his blinkered support for the SNP (Courier Letters, December 2).

How many times do we have to ask for the spending rationale of the Scottish Government?

Everyone has to live within their means and the consequence of not doing so can clearly be seen in the tragedy of Venezuela, and the looming economic problems of Argentina, Italy and Greece.

Scotland already receives a greater cash contribution from the UK Treasury than Wales or Northern Ireland, calculated according to the Barnett Formula, and amounting to more than £14 billion per year.

Additionally, Holyrood now has devolved powers over income tax bands and revenues, plus a plethora of other tax revenue, such as landfill tax, property stamp duty and business rates.

As from the New Year, it will also be receiving VAT contributions.

Maybe Mr MacDougall can tell us from whence would come the current UK Treasury contributions to Holyrood were Scotland to secede from the UK.

I wonder how many voters are aware that Holyrood contributes more than £300 million in aid to other countries (on top of the annual UK spend of more than £13 billion) – and this at time when our health and education budgets are squeezed.

The SNP is beginning to look suspiciously like the Communist governments of old, obsessed with ideology and the need to keep the proletariat happy. Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.

Picture: Getty Images. It’s not all as it seems when it comes to Holyrood’s spending budget, argues one correspondent.