Decision to nationalise Ferguson Marine must be seen as purely a political one

Amidst all the claim and counter-claim as to who is responsible for the Ferguson Marine debacle, surely the most astonishing statement came from [Scottish Finance Secretary] Derek Mackay in a TV interview.

When asked about the potential costs of the proposed nationalisation, his answer was to the effect that you couldn’t expect him to have such facts and figures at his fingertips!

Erm, well, yes, we just might expect the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to know how much the Scottish taxpayer is to be asked to shell out to get us out of this mess – especially given that it has been on the horizon for some time.

On the other hand, perhaps we might not, given that here is a supposed economist who had never heard of the Laffer Curve. But of course the point is that the decision to nationalise is a political one, which will no doubt be milked for all that it’s worth to show the SNP riding to the rescue of the threatened workforce.

It might have been a little more convincing to the taxpayers in general if Mr Mackay had done a bit of homework in advance.

The involvement in Burntisland Fabrications has seen a £19 million “investment” of taxpayers’ money purchasing shares with a current value of £6 million.

How will this new initiative play out? There’s not much point in asking Mr Mackay, I fear.

COLIN HAMILTON Braid Hills Avenue, Edinburgh If an entrepreneur like Jim Mccoll can’t make a success of Ferguson Marine Engineering, what makes Nicola Sturgeon and Derek Mackay think they can? They know nothing of commerce or heavy engineering.

Also, the Scottish Government has a track record of failure in business.

For example, in seven years of public ownership Prestwick Airport has accumulated tens of millions of pounds of losses. The corresponding debts to the Scottish Government will eventually have to be written off.

This nationalisation can only end in more tears for the taxpayer.

OTTO INGLIS Inveralmond Grove, Edinburgh

Once again, a particular pleasure to read Jim Sillars’ riposte (Letters, Saturday, 17 August) to Kit Fraser’s letter of 16 August.

Mr Sillars’ letter encompasses honesty, integrity and lucidity rarely encountered in the rantings and spin-doctoring of today’s SNP spokespersons and their acolytes. Missing only is his possible dissertation on the oxymoronic flaw in the SNP mantra of “independence in Europe”.

While we can have little doubt that the SNP would ensure that their “Scotland’s voice” would reverberate in European Council and Parliament, who can believe their blustering and ravings would be heeded and carry weight?

RONALD JOHNSTON

St Ola, Orkney