Head spinning

We learn the SNP government has told civil servants to pass Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from journalists to “special advisors” – spin doctors to you and me – for vetting.

Seemingly the SNP government employs 13 taxpayer funded spin-doctors to put an inevitably favourable gloss on governmental policy and activity to the media.

Nicola Sturgeon fondly presents the Scottish governmental system as superior to Westminster and emphasises that she is the First Minister for all Scotland – and thus, presumably, fully accountable to us all.

However, that information about the government, the First Minister and the wider SNP establishment in power is filtered to the media in this manner questions ni cola sturgeon’ s stated commitment to open government.

Does Ms Sturgeon need reminding that we as citizens – voters and taxpayers – are the masters and she and her colleagues our servants? After ten years in power is the SNP leader forgetting that today, in a fully functioning democracy, the people require, as a minimum, transparency from their elected representatives, regardless of how well entrenched politicians have become?

MARTIN REDFERN Merchiston Gardens, Edinburgh