Bird tag trauma?

the dollar. Yet Patrick Minford, chairman of Economists for Free Trade, assures us in “From Project Fear to Project Prosperity” that sterling’s decline is a “good thing” and will cushion our exit.

I’m not so sure. A falling exchange rate rarely opens up a path to national prosperity because it results in unproductive and inefficient exporters being given a temporary shot in the arm.

The fact is sterling is falling because investors in the foreign exchange markets fear that, far from allowing us to build a “dynamic modern economy”, Brexit will make us worse off.

Global supply chains have subverted the idea that “British” products compete with “French” or “German” products – they’re all the end-product of a global or regional assembly line.

Eurozone economic growth is now double that of the UK, so rather than warbling on about his Project Prosperity it would be better if Prof essor Minford concentrated on Project Reality. (REV DR) JOHN CAMERON

Howard Place, St Andrews I read with interest the story of the relocation of the “lost” sea eagle (The Scotsman, 26 August). Apparently the bird had managed to detach herself from her satellite tag, thus becoming “lost”.

It’s hard not to wonder if the bird had deliberately freed itself from the contraption which had been attached without so much as a by-yourleave. On a more serious note however, this incident surely raises the question of whether or not we interfere too much in the lives of “lesser” creatures for our own gratification under the guise of advancement in scientific knowledge.

DAVID EDGAR Dundas Street, Stromness