Where is the crisis?

NAN Forsythe (Letters, December 28) suggests that Scotland is in a crisis and that 12 years of the SNP have only made things worse.

Scotland actually performs better then the rest of the UK – one example being the NHS. We benefit from free bus travel for the over 60s, no prescription charges, a now fairer welfare system, which would perform even better if all the benefits were devolved to Holyrood. We have free personal care for the elderly, too.

As a WASPI woman, I am grateful that I have a bus pass and not having to pay £8.50 for every individual prescription item as they do in England is amazing. If you have heard of us WASPI women then you will know that all us women born in the 1950s have basically had six years of our pension stolen by Westminster. I worked from the age of 15, and I will be 65 in March 2019. But I will not receive my pension until September 2019. I know that I would struggle even more if I had to pay for all my medication.

The SNP are working constantly to mitigate the effects of Westminster’s policies here in Scotland. The bedroom tax was the first. The rise in foodbanks is most definitely due to all the welfare cuts, and austerity imposed on Scotland by Westminster.

It will get harder for everyone if Westminster continues down their Brexit route. They could use some common sense and revoke Article 50 but unfortunately there appears to be a lack of common sense in Westminster. Independence for Scotland is the only way things will improve.

Miss A Smart, Milton of Campsie