Indy costs still don’t add up

Sir, – Andrew Wilson’s report to the SNP’S Sustainable Growth Commission does not bode well for the plans for Scotland’s future proposed by Nicola Sturgeon and her SNP cohorts.

It should be noted that the £ Sterling is advocated this time instead of a new currency. SNP ambitions to obtain EU membership would therefore be thwarted by a future independent Scotland’s lack of control over key financial levers such as the setting of interest rates, and how much currency is in circulation.

Recent economic forecasts indicate Scotland’s deficit would fall from the current level of 8.3% of GDP to 7.1% by 2022 – the favoured level within the EU is 3%!

Andrew Wilson’s report puts the costs for setting up agencies and departments in an independent Scotland, such as a defence force, a security agency, central bank and financial regulators, at £450 million over five years – somewhat optimistic methinks.

However, for once. the Scottish electorate is being presented with a realistic picture of the hurdles on the way to Scotland becoming independent of the UK – and it is a long-serving member of the SNP who is spelling out the facts.

In conclusion, I would question whether or not the electorate of Scotland is ready to fork out more funding in the foreseeable future to underwrite Nicola Sturgeon’s dubious plans for an independent Scotland.

Robert I G Scott. Northfield, Ceres.