There ain't no lies like British lies

This latest puerile British Nationalist smear attempt against the democratically elected government of Scotland is founded on a completely unsupported allegation that the SNP administration's expenditure on foreign travel is extraordinary. As we would expect, no evidence is presented to support this. So, let's take a look for ourselves.

In the last full year that the British parties were allowed to govern Scotland there were a total of 51 overseas trips at a total cost of £98,818.64, or an average cost per trip of £2,264.16.

In the most recent full year of the SNP administration, there were 53 trips at a total cost of £99,595.24, or an average of only £1,911.56.

The inflation-adjusted total costs are £115,472.01 for the British parties in 2006/2007 and £101,312.49 in 2012/2013 for the SNP.

The reality, in contrast to the lying propaganda spouted by British nationalist fanatics, is that the SNP is spending LESS taxpayers' money on overseas trips and not more.

But let's take a look at this in the context of claims of "extravagance".

Prior to the SNP establishing the first real Scottish Government since the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the highest expenditure on overseas travel was in 2000/2001 when an inflation-adjusted total of £158,070.47 was spent on 55 trips. An average cost per trip of £2,874.01 (real terms).

Since the electorate wisely handed power to the SNP, the highest expenditure was in 2009/2010 when the government managed to cram in 60 trips for a total cost of only £114,672.18 (at 2013/2014 prices). An average cost per trip of only £1,911.20 (real terms).

There is only one possible conclusion. The British nationalists are lying again. The SNP is actually spending LESS money on foreign trips than the British parties were in the habit of doing.

Given their new-found concern for Scotland's taxpayers, will British Labour be apologising for its profligacy?

Now that they have been exposed yet again as liars, will British nationalist fanatics start showing a bit less contempt for the people of Scotland?

[Full data available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/People/14944/travel/visitsoverseas]