Sir, – Ms Sturgeon admitted on TV that she does not know the cost of independence, for which she urges us to vote.
I don’t believe that; would you buy a car without asking its price?
More likely is that the figure is so large that she does not want tax-payers to know.
The Westminster government spends £1,633 per year more on every inhabitant of Scotland than it does on those living in England.
Recent independent assessments state that independence would cost each one of us about £2,500 per year.
The EU won’t help; our debt level is far too high for us to be allowed to enter. The bill can only fall directly on tax-payers.
Independence may have many emotional attractions, but can you and your family afford that sum? It will be pointless to complain after the tax demand hits you – you need to think of it now.
The UK will not allow its nuclear base to be in a foreign country. Faslane will close, ship-building on the Forth and Clyde will be seriously hit if not closed.
Nat-West Bank has just announced it will move its HQ out of Scotland. Others will follow.
Thousands of jobs will go and the effect on local schools, shops, pubs, restaurants, etc, will be immense. Will you vote for that?
Christopher, Dunphie.
Wester Cloquhat, Bridge of Cally.
Scare story re-run
Sir, – I was taken back in an instant to the heady days of the 2014 independence referendum when I saw it announced that the Royal Bank of Scotland would move its registered office to London in the event of Scottish independence.
The fact that the brass plaque could be moved from Edinburgh has been well-known for some time. It does not mean that operations will be moved out of the country and as Alison Rose, chief executive of the parent NatWest Group made clear, such a move would not impact on the bank’s commitment to Scotland.
Let’s hope any forthcoming independence referendum is not simply a refresh of rather tired old scare stories.
Alex Orr.
Marchmont Road, Edinburgh.
Trust is essential
Sir, – The cost of furnishings of the Prime Minister’s flat is important. If money has changed hands the public need to know what if anything the benefactors receive in return.
This is not an isolated incident; we have seen a catalogue of cronyism and corruption with regard to PPE and ventilators.
The Downing Street flat issue also deflects attention from the ongoing Cameron/ Greensill lobbying scandal.
It is important that any government acts lawfully, with openness and transparency, maintaining standards and integrity. We must have a government we can trust to determine the future of Scotland post Brexit.
Mary Ward.
Old Brechin Road, Lunanhead.
Focus on recovery
Sir, – I agree with Maaike Cook’s comment in Monday’s Courier about the terrible Scottish government decision to send elderly Covid people back to care homes, resulting in over 3,400 deaths, almost half of all Covid deaths in Scotland.
That was a tragic error of judgement which may have been influenced by persistent staff shortages in the NHS and care homes.
I also agree with Graham Whitbourn about the possible impact independence could have to further hit NHS work by the likely break-up of cross-UK working relationships.
Surely any effort expended on independence would dilute the extra effort needed to support the NHS and education, not to mention all the Scottish business that have been hit so hard by Covid.
We need a government that will concentrate on the “day job” and, as President Joe Biden said at his inauguration, encourage unity.
For a proper recovery we need to stop all the political uncivil wars, please.
David Johnstone.
Brington Place, Dundee.
