Powerless

Once again, the SNP Scottish Government is calling for extra powers that they cannot use (“MPS say immigration review should consider devolution of powers”, 11 July).

The SNP’S Pete Wishart says “nobody wants to see a return to the dark days of population decline and economic stagnation”, but that is not a million miles away from the current position.

Over the last 20 years, the population of the UK has increased by millions, with most immigrants choosing to live in London and the South East. Scotland’s population has hardly increased, only just making up for the fact that there have been more deaths than births of native Scots.

Why should increased powers change this? For most immigrants, the neverending grievance culture, the wish to split from the rest of the UK, is most unattractive. Why would an immigrant wish to settle in Scotland in the knowledge that their children would receive a poorer education than they had themselves received in their home country?

Until th es np scottish government concentrate son improving education and health outcomes, and public services generally, asking for more powers is a waste of time.

PHIL TATE Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh

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