gareth mcpherson

Scotland is under attack from irritants on two fronts this summer. George Osborne’s visit to the Borders yesterday comes ahead of some of the most intense midge activity expected in the Highlands for years.

No doubt many will be irked by the senior Tory’s attempts to persuade Scots to vote in favour of the EU to put the final nail in the coffin of the Scottish independence cause. And perhaps they should not be surprised by the scare tactics deployed as Mr Osborne warns that Scotland would be “particularly badly hit” by Brexit.

While Westminster’s Tories rip lumps out of each other over the doomsday scenarios that follow the EU referendum, it certainly felt at times during Mr Osborne’s visit that Project Fear had returned to its spiritual home.

His arguments about risk are often branded scaremongering, but it is entirely proper for a proEU Chancellor to set out what he believes are the likely economic shocks of Brexit. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon is reluctant to broach the risks at all for fear of appearing negative.

Those venturing to the Highlands may find that there is little that can be done to defeat the scourge of the midges. As the prospect of Scottish independence now looks even less likely than Turkey being admitted into the EU in the next decade, many will feel the same way about the Westminster Tories.