Mackay’s blame game

IN typical fashion, the SNP Scottish Government blames Westminster policies for Scotland’s lacklustre economic performance. Failing to realise, never mind explain, why Scotland is the ‘poor man of Britain’ and the only part of the UK which is a victim of those evil Tories, Derek Mackay has once more shown he is no finance expert — despite being Cabinet Secretary for Finance.

Perhaps he should look closer to home for the reasons why Scotland’s economy and public services have been in decline over the 11 years of SNP rule.

Some things he could examine are the uncertainty that’s blighted business confidence and investment since 2011 due to the SNP’s drive for independence, the hundreds of millions spent providing free university tuition for EU students, universal free prescriptions and the promotion of Gaelic, the bungled replacement for stamp duty, the bungled formation of Police Scotland, failed IT projects, the explosion in the number of government quangos and special advisers, the awarding of the bulk of contracts for the £2billion Queensferry Crossing to foreign companies, and last but not least, his recent Budget which penalised hard-working Scots with the highest rates of income tax in the UK.

The only experts we have in the Scottish Government are ministers for grievance and misinformation.

ALAN WYLLIE, Largs, Ayrshire. IF it were not so serious, Derek Mackay’s suggestion that everything in Scotland would be wonderful if he weren’t in some sort of Londonenforced fiscal straitjacket (Mail) would be amusing.

In fact it’s a good job some restraints are in place to limit his tax-and-spend mania.

J. MORRISON, St Andrews, Fife.