Salmond’s smoke screen

BUYING independence from Alex Salmond is like buying a vehicle from a car dealer who can’t tell you whether it will run on petrol, diesel or hot air.

Before you sign a legal document, binding you to the purchase, he won’t tell you the cost. He should blow away the smokescreen. It’s beyond the time when he should give honest answers to some pertinent questions.

He’s already tried to rig the vote for independence in his favour. New arrivals, having no knowledge of the long association between the Scots and the English will no doubt be told that free accommodation, medical treatment and generous allowances are solely provided through the generosity of the Scottish government.

He believes 16 and 17-year-olds, being young and impressionable, have only to hear Flower Of Scotland and see a wave of the Saltire to flock to his cause.

Scots living south of the Border, some of whom had to move to obtain employment, are denied the vote. Why? Does Alex believe they will have formed friendly associations with their English colleagues and resent a barrier formed between them and their kith and kin in Scotland?

Scottish service personnel based south of the Border are also denied the vote. Why? Is it because Scots and English have fought side by side and faced death or injury together in Iraq or Afghanistan and wish to stay united?

GEORGE KIRK, Kinross.