Songbird fears

to be the idea that we, or the Catalans, will benefit financially by abandoning our fellow citizens.

In Scotland, the taste for independence grew out of oil; before its discovery in the North Sea only the hard core nationalists had any interest in independence. If we could keeptheoilmoneytoourselves we would be rich! Sadly for the SNP, we now know that there is no pot of gold at the end of the oil rainbow, and we would in fact be significantly worse off. In public spending terms, to the tune of around £1400 per person per year.

Similarly, the Catalonians are among the wealthiest in Spain. Those in favour of independence resent sharing their prosperity with the rest of Spain. They too think they will be wealthier without their fellow citizens. Would it be right to say that in liberal democracies, where oppression plays no part, the independence movement is simply a selfish philosophy, based on the principle of ‘I’m all right, Jack’?

The second aspect in common is the prospect of reduced economic activity as a result of the threat of independence. In Scotland our growth rate remains stubbornly low, significantly lower than the rest of the UK, in an economic climate which is virtually identical in all other factors aside from the continuing threat of independence.

In Catalonia, the economic flight has already begun, with over 1000 businesses pulling out of the region. Perhaps Catalonia’s relative prosperity depends on its political circumstance as an integral part of Spain, something the separatists will be reluctant to acknowledge.

If other regions were to follow the nationalist philosophy ofscotlandandcatalonia,then London and the South East of England should declare independence from the UK, Paris from France and the Po valley from the rest of Italy.

Fortunately, the majority in all EU countries, including Scotland and Catalonia if the last set of polls was correct, value the economic and social benefits of working together.

CAROLE FORD Terregles Avenue, Glasgow Your recent photograph in Picture Gallery of a sparrowhawk eyeing up a chaffinch highlights just one of several population depressing factors which our songbirds face.

Songbird numbers have crashed by over 50 per cent in 45 years. Although sparrowhawks are natural predators of songbirds (estimated to consume 35 million a year), when their toll is combined with the 55 million taken annually by cats and an unknown quantity destroyed by non- native grey squirrels, it is little wonder that songbird numbers have declined so disastrously.

Some species, such as the tree sparrow and corn bunting (both down 90 per cent) are facing almost certain extinction. The balance needs to be redressed in favour of these much loved small birds before it is too late.

COLIN STRANG STEEL Trustee , Songbird Survival,

Threepwood, Galashiels