Labour’s part in devolution

Sir, – Mr McCandless (letters March 24) describes Labour as “against the spirit of devolution” and argues that “Labour politicians cannot argue against independence while trying to defend their plans on devolution”. While the SNP grind towards an introverted separation from the UK, voters should remember that devolution was mainly gained for Scotland by the Labour Party, not the SNP.

Holyrood already has many extra devolution consents coming within the 2012 Agreement and gained an extra £63 million in the recent budget. The SNP press only for total separation from the UK. Given a “no” result, what fuller powers would they wish to negotiate for Holyrood? Total SNP silence!

Then why decry Labour, within the combined majority of parties defending the UK, for not fully committing to a pre-set agenda before a conference is even needed? Labour has made its broad aims public and firmly continue their support for a Scottish “no” vote. Angus Brown. The Orchard, Longforgan, Dundee. ers were phased in over a period of 10 years, only reaching parity with the rest of Europe this year. This was also the case for the Bulgarians and Romanians who joined in 2007. Similarly, when Croatia joined the EU last year, they had an additional restriction of 70% placed on their budget for fisheries.

The EU also allows for restrictions on the freedom of movement of workers and a five-year restriction period for transport carriers from new accession states to operate national road haulage services, giving these Eastern European MEPs additional tools with which to make life difficult for Scotland.

An independent Scotland would require the approval of an absolute majority of MEPs before acceding. The cost of achieving this majority support would be the application of these severe restrictions and transitional measures which would devastate our farmers, fishermen, hauliers, and workers.

This isn’t “Tory scaremongering” – it is reality. Struan Stevenson MEP. The European Parliament, Brussels.