Greed will not solve anything

Sir, – Derek Farmer (Letters, December 6) has invited me to tell him where the money would come from to run the economy of an independent Scotland.

The answer to that is simple because it would have its own treasury, free from Westminster interference.

Unlike at the present time, all revenues from Scotland’s trading activities would go to Edinburgh together with the sums raised via the devolved taxes he highlighted.

The significance then, which is the part that seems to have eluded him, is that Scotland – through its full fiscal powers – would actually have all the money involved, unlike currently being tied to Barnett which sees the block grant reduced by an amount equivalent to the additional revenues raised in keeping with the devolved powers arrangement which is no more than a sham to make people like Mr Farmer believe that Scotland is a beneficiary of English generosity.

In desperation to score points he draws attention to irrelevant examples of failed nations which attempted to go it alone.

In the time honoured manner of the embracers of right wing economics desperately keen to win a debate about caring and sharing for people less fortunate than themselves, he sinks to the level of slapping the dreaded label of communist on the opposition.

Communism is a failed ideal simply because the leaders of past attempts to introduce the concept all became as greedy as those they sought to replace in the first place. Allan A MacDougall. 37 Forth Park, Bridge of Allan.