However, I don't believe that the party has done itself any good with the reported spending of more than £53,000 of taxpayers' (and, even with a very modest pension, I am still included in that group!) money, by endeavouring to block a Freedom of Information request regarding financial details of the party's local income tax policy - intended to be an alternative to Council Tax. It is reported in today's Herald newspaper that Scottish Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion, incurred the bulk of the legal costs after the Government attempted to take him to court - arguing that the original FOI request was invalid, and that Mr Dunion did not have a right to view the documents.
The First Minister, Alex Salmond, eventually moved away from the court threat, after which the commissioner backed the newspaper and ordered disclosure of the information. However, as if all of that wasn't bad enough, the newspaper also reports that it was confirmed, last week, that the Scottish Government intends to dispute this decision in the Court of Session - leading to further expense for the hard-pressed taxpayer!
Perhaps, in such cases, when it is a particular Party's policies that are involved, it should be the responsibility of the Party to meet any costs. As it is, there appears to be a bottomless crock from which governments, and political parties, and politicians, have granted themselves the right to withdraw any required (whether, or not, genuinely necessary!) funds. I, and my fellow-taxpayers, keep the crock filled up - the politicians empty it.
Aye, it's easy to spend other people's money - but is it always morally defensible?
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