London should take the blame

Sir, – Recent headlines regarding Scotland’s apparent economic failings have resulted, unsurprisingly, in yet another bout of SNP bashing.

Dean Lockhart, Conservative economic spokesperson, used the BBC’s Politics Scotland programme as an opportunity to do so.

He stated successful governments, such as those of Germany, Switzerland and Singapore, successfully grow their economies by employing a “whole of government approach”.

I assume this also requires a whole of economy approach.

That the governments named aren’t constrained by a budget set by another parliament escapes him.

They also have a full range of economic levers, as do other independent countries, not hamstrung as Scotland is.

They also aren’t forced to use an inordinate amount of their resources to mitigate the harmful policies of the establishment setting their operational parameters.

If Scotland is an economic basket case as claimed, then the blame lies with London where all our assets are pooled and managed.

In effect, the unionist establishment is admitting that not only has its husbanding of our resources been disastrous, it has the figures to prove it.

Red-faced embarrassment would be a more appropriate response, not a cacophony of crowing. Ken Clark, 335 King Street. Broughty Ferry, Dundee.