KIRSTY Blackman of the SNP is quite right when she states that we cannot have the Barnett formula “ripped up in order to dish out large chunks of cash to Northern Ireland, in a grubby deal with the DUP, without fair treatment across the board” (“Hopes of Tory deal windfall dashed”, The Herald, June 16).

The Tories are contemplating nothing more than a bribe using taxpayers’ money in exchange for political favours. It had been reported that the Treasury had concerns about this “bribe” (the word used in the report) and about the possibility of having to match the extra funding due to Barnett elsewhere in the UK.

But the latest reports indicate that the Treasury has withdrawn its objections, believing that there were a number of ways in which cash could be injected into Northern Ireland (already the highest subsidised part of the United Kingdom) without relying on the Barnett formula.

It is not only the Nationalists who should be pressing Scotland’s case. Ruth Davidson promised that her team of Westminster MPs would look after Scotland’s interests and the support for Mrs May by the Scottish Tories is at least as important as that of the Democratic Unionists. So if this grubby transfer of extra funding to Northern Ireland is to go ahead, with the Treasury attempting to circumvent the terms of the Barnett formula on a technicality, let Ms Davidson demonstrate that she really does have Scotland’s interests at heart by demanding equivalent extra funding for this country. It is to be hoped the Welsh will also support this demand for fair dealing.

R Murray,

28 Maxwell Drive,

Glasgow.