Are we a burden or a blessing?

Sir, – Whilst constant bombardment by Britnats of the Scottish Government’s efforts to run a country with the pocket money allowance it receives from Westminster is to be expected, two contributions featured in the letters page on May 7 by Martin Redfern and Keith Howell respectively caught the eye.

The former because he continues to ignore the realities of running a successful economy without access to the full range of the fiscal levers required for the job. The latter for conceding, on the one hand, that any political party would find it difficult to overcome current issues, before reverting to type and hinting that 11 years of SNP Government had

made the public services situation decidedly worse.

However, these gentlemen are not alone in their understanding of economic realities, as others regularly sing from the same song sheet, with many repeating the favourite misconception of poor Scotland being subsidised by its generous southern neighbour.

If this claim is to be believed it would make absolute sense for Westminster to get rid of the benefit burden around its neck. The fact that it continually refuses to do that would suggest that Scotland is not a burden on the UK economy or that Westminster is totally incompetent at running it. Allan.A.MacDougall. Forth Park, Bridge of Allan.