Spending our money for us

According to todays Herald “T in the Park is at the centre of a cronyism row after it emerged a former SNP adviser working for the festival helped it secure a £150,000 grant from the Scottish Government.”

Apparently Jennifer Dempsie, a project manager for promoters DF Concerts Ltd, brokered the initial meeting between the company boss Geoff Ellis and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop to discuss the extra funding.  The discussion on May 28 ultimately led to Ms Hyslop signing off an an “ad hoc state aid” package for the festival on July 2 eight days before it began.  With your money. Sort of reminds you of the Kids Company approach to taxpayers support.

 

Then take a look at Creative Scotland, the national arts funding agency.  It appeared to have had no qualms about retaining the now defunct Arches in Glasgow among its 'foundation’ clients, the elite in receipt of long-term subsidy. The taxpayer, that is you and me, continued to bankroll the venue’s so called cultural programme to the tune of around £7,000 a week – every week.

Whatever the merits of the cultural programme at the Arches, as Kenneth Roy in his excellent Scottish Review pointed out, “one fact is inescapable: the Scottish Government is indirectly bankrolling an enterprise (Arches) which is only viable if it throws alcohol down the throats of young people, some of whom are also consuming class-A drugs on the premises.”

There is rather a lot of your money and mine, our hard earned taxpayers money, being used to fund other peoples entertainment.  Spent on things that really, governments should not be indulging in on our behalf.