Politics and John Swinney, quite illogical at times ...

... as demonstrated by the nationalist government North of the border.

John Swinney, Scotland’s Finance Secretary, delivered a major shock for supermarket giants selling tobacco and alcohol in Scotland by announcing that he would be imposing a business rates supplement on them from next April, he said ...

... (it is) necessary to combat the impact on the NHS and law and order north of the Border of cheap drink and cigarettes.

... his logic doesn't quite reach the rational that the tax will not effect drinking and smoking one little bit, it might alter the habit of consumer choice, switching to a cheaper brand or less than enjoyable wine (it tastes the same after the first glass).

The reality is the Scottish government needs the money raised to fund its largess by means other that the Westminster funding.

The Scottish Retail Consortium director Ian Shearer said "This new tax is a blatant fund-raising exercise ... it will make it harder for food retailers to keep prices down for customers, and makes Scotland a less attractive place to do business, invest and create jobs."

It is predicted the business rates levy would result in major food retailers paying an extra half-a-billion pounds in tax over the next four years.

Naturally John (the mouth) Swinney ...

... will lay the blame for his poor logic on Westminster.

Oops, he did it without taking a breath through that enormous mouth ...

... he described the budget cuts facing the SNP government as "the most swingeing the country has seen since the Second World War" and laid the blame firmly at the door of the coalition Government at Westminster. Scots, he said, were "being held to ransom by a UK Government they did not vote for".

I'm sure Plaid could take note of the strategy, create a crisis and place the blame anywhere but at your own feet, preferably in the precincts of Westminster, pathetic in fact .....